Night Of Fate
by Bizarre Dreamscapes
Summary: After Sirius' death Harry is about to commit suicide when he makes a death wish. Fate hears him and his life starts out anew but quite different than he may have imagined. dark!slytherin!creature!Harry SLASH LVHP mainly
1. 01 fate

**Disclaimer: I own nothing (damn). JK owns everything (besides the plot^^).**

**A/N: Hi everyone! This is my new story Night Of Fate. Enjoy!**

**Summary: After Sirius' death Harry is desperate and is about to commit suicide. In the last moments he makes a death wish. Fate hears his wish and grants it. Harry Potter's life starts out anew but quite different than he might have imagined...**

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_**N**_**ight **_**O**_**f **_**F**_**ate**

_01. __fate_

He glanced at the sharp knife in his hands. Eight centimeters of stainless steel would end his life tonight. As simple as that. He had never imagined that he would go so unspectacular. One swift cut and he would be gone. No more pain. No more loss. No more tears. No more feelings.

Those emotions that hurt him, that made him want to cry, that made him want to die. He did not want to feel. Never and never again. But they would not go away. They always came back to haunt him, they did not leave him alone not even when he was sleeping. In his nightmares he was seeing the pictures, the faces of those who were gone before him. Who had left him alone and only came back to torture him over and over again. He could not stand it. The pain was too much to bear.

He had no more strength to put the past behind and certainly not to shoulder the future that was waiting for him. She called his name with the sweet voice of death. If he had to die, why should it not be now? He could grant himself a quick and easy death. The future only held more loss and suffering before he died.

He brought the knife up to the soft flesh of his throat. The cool metal touched his skin almost like a lover's caress. It taunted and invited him to lean into it. He moaned in happiness. His head felt light from the sensation of holding the instrument that would finally set him free. He would decide for himself. As long as he still could. And he would wake up from the nightmare that his life was.

He just felt a sting of pity for those who he would leave behind. His friends, who were almost like a family for him. But they were strong. They had each other to rely on and help them get by. Tonight he would fulfill the prophecy. He would create a new world. And he would finally find peace for himself.

He sighed and closed his eyes. It would not hurt. Not compared to what he had already felt. There was no physical pain that could possibly match the emotional he already had endured. He had made the best decision. There was no point in living on. The world would dive into the darkness but he would not dive with it.

With a last flicker of emotion that came close to sadness and regret he thought of what could have been if life had been more kind to him. The prophecy had not explicitly referred to him. The fact that it now did was based on the decision of a mentally disturbed man who had had the insane idea of seeing himself in an one year old infant.

Silent tears ran down his cheeks and his hand started to shake. The razor sharp knife cut his skin and blood trickled down his throat. He did not even feel it. With closed eyes he sat there, frozen, silently crying. One bitter thought cursed through his mind: _Why me? Why couldn't it have been Neville? Why me? Why not him?_

He thought that he pleaded to no one, used to being alone, used to not being heard.

But in this particular night he _was _heard.

Fate noticed his desperation and heard his plea. She knew what he was going to do, what the future would bring. And that future must not happen. So, in order to prevent the future, she had to undo the present by changing the past.

Sometimes Fate took a liking to certain beings. One of them was Harry Potter.

And as Harry Potter was about to slit his throat, truth became reality and reality became surreality which is lie.

Everything changed. Everything started out anew. This time destiny would work out correctly. Harry Potter would not be the nemesis, he would be the catalyst.

Time unraveled and everything faded into nothing.

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**A/N: Okay, this doesn't reveal much of the plot yet, but please tell me what you think!!**


	2. 02 the prophecy

**A/N: In order to make things easier for everyone I'll keep up the format I also use in Burning Desire which is:**

"**Speech."**

"_**curses, hexes, jinxes."**_

_**thoughts, dreams, visions**_

**::Parsletongue.::**

**Warning: This chapter is rated M for violence, torture and humilation. The content might be disturbing for some readers. You have been warned. This is the cruelest text I've ever written.**

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_**N**_**ight ****_O_f _F_ate**

_**02. the prophecy**_

30th Octobre 1981

Severus Snape snuck up closer to the door. He could barely believe it – the old coot had chosen the _Hog's Head _as a meeting place with his new contact. Severus wondered who it was. Was Dumbledore trying to gain a new member for his petty Order? Or was he simply trying to find a new teacher?

Severus had been spying on Dumbledore for several months now, but it had been awfully quite around the headmaster. He hoped to gain some new information tonight since the Dark Lord was getting impatient. Severus had been given this task and he did not want to appear incompetent. Tonight he had the feeling that this particular meeting would be special but he shoved it away. There had been no indication so far that Dumbledore was up to something and Severus liked to rather rely on his mind than on a weary _feeling._

He leaned closer to the door. Dumbledore was talking to a woman. She had to have arrived previous to Dumbledore. Apparently he was considering to hire her as the new divination teacher. Dumbledore posed several questions and from the answers even Severus who had never taken divination in school could tell that she was nothing close to a seer.

He felt a sting of disappointment. Again this proved to be nothing valuable. But although he was quite positive that he was wasting his time he did not stop to listen. Severus did not drop his guard. He was an excellent spy and there was always a chance that this chat had been a rouse.

After half an hour Severus knew that he had wasted his time. Finally he heard Dumbledore say: "Thank you for your time, Ms. Trelawney. I will inform you about my decision in the next days."

Severus was about to retreat so he would not be caught but then he heard Trelawney's answer.

Her voice was hoarse and raspy when she started to speak: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born when the seventh month dies..."

Severus held his breath. There was a long silence in the room. Then suddenly Trelawney said, her voice normal again:

"I'm sorry, headmaster, what did you say?"

"I would be honored if you accepted the appointment," Dumbledore replied, his voice giving no hint that anything unusual had happened.

Severus quickly retreated from the door. This was what he had been waiting for! He knew that Trelawney had made a real prophecy. Dumbledore's reaction proofed that.

A smile spread across Severus' face as he hastily left the _Hog's Head_. The Dark Lord would be very pleased. And Severus would be generously rewarded for the exclusive information he had obtained. And there was only one thing that Severus truly wanted.

* * *

"Rise, Severus." He did as he was told and stood up.

"What is so urgent that it cannot wait?" the Dark Lord asked him too calmly.

"A prophecy has been made about you, my Lord," Severus replied bluntly.

The only reaction that the Dark Lord showed was that he slightly narrowed his eyes. "A prophecy?" he repeated.

"Yes, my Lord," started Severus. "Dumbledore met the new divination teacher tonight and during their meeting she made the prophecy."

The Dark Lord nodded slowly. "Show me," he ordered.

Severus dropped his Occlumency shields enough so that the Dark Lord would be able to see what he had witnessed this evening when he probed Severus' mind. He could feel the Dark Lord's presence in his head. It was very unpleasant for Severus who always felt naked and unprotected on such occasions but it was also the easiest way to share the information.

"Who knows of this prophecy besides you and Dumbledore?" the Dark Lord asked after he had heard the prophecy.

"No one, my Lord," Severus answered.

"What about the prophet?" inquired the Dark Lord.

"She does not remember anything," said Severus.

The Dark Lord nodded again, not showing how he felt about the information Severus had brought.

"You have done well tonight, Severus," he said after some time.

"I do nothing but my duty, my Lord," replied Severus.

The Dark Lord eyed him intensively. "As well you should, Severus," he commented sweetly.

"Of course," Severus was fast to agree. "May I ask, who else does the prophecy refer to besides you?"

The Dark Lord looked thoughtful. "Since you have acquired this information, I will tell you, Severus," he said slowly. "I believe it refers to the Longbottom's son.

Severus nodded. It made sense. "Are you sure?" he insisted.

The Dark Lord gave him an amused smirk. "Do you think me incompetent, Severus?" he asked dangerously low.

"No, never," Severus said hastily.

"Good."

"What will you do now?" he asked carefully.

The cold, cruel smile on the Dark Lord's face was answer enough. "I will act first," he said matter-of-factly and disapparated.

All alone Severus shuddered. He knew all too well what those words meant. _Neither can live while the other survives. I will act first._

Severus sighed. He had seen a great deal of things in the last few years but the Longbottom's son... he was one year old. Suddenly he felt very cold. He had not thought that the Dark Lord would react so fast... so early. But that was the prize that had to be paid. The prophecy against his family.

* * *

31st Octobre 1981, Hollow's Eve

It had not taken Voldemort too long to find them. Dumbledore must be getting paranoid, he decided. This came in handy for him since the Longbottoms were hiding alone. Apparently Dumbledore feared betrayal by his own supporters. Which he was wise to do. Peter Pettigrew had been of great use to Voldemort. He had learned where the Longbottoms hid and that they were about to preform the _Fidelius_ Charm. That would have made things more complicated with Dumbledore as their secret keeper. Now Voldemort would reach them in time before the charm could protect them. He smirked. He would fulfill the prophecy tonight. Nothing – and no one – would stand in his way.

The Longbottoms had decided to hide in a house in the suburbs of London. It was not a pleasant district but one where no one asked questions. It was late evening and already very dark outside. The street lights were mostly out of work and did not provide more than a dim twilight. Only few people were in the streets and most of them were in a hurry to get done whatever they were up to and to avoid drunken gangs.

When Voldemort reached the house he realized that the wards around it were surprisingly weak. He had no problems to slip past them without causing an alarm. Dumbledore had to be unaware that anyone else knew about the prophecy and would search out the Longbottoms. He seemed to have placed all his trust in the _Fidelius _charm. Foolish old man.

Voldemort noticed that the door was protected by a weak charm. If anyone else besides the Longbottoms opened it a local alarm would be triggered. It did not matter. Even though Frank and Alice were both aurors they would not stand a chance against him. With a flick of his wand he opened the door and triggered the alarm.

Voldemort could hear footsteps move into his direction as he glided inside the dark hall. Somebody lit the room. Both the Longbottoms had entered the hall, Alice already wearing a nightgown while Frank was still fully clothed.

"You!" he gasped.

Instead of saying something, Voldemort used the moment of their shock to cast a wordless _incarcerus _on them. Thin ropes wound around their bodies making it impossible for them to move. He was almost disappointed that it had been so easy, they were aurors after all. Unable to hold their balance as the ropes tied their legs together both of them fell over.

"What do you want?" Frank asked in a hateful voice, looking up at him.

Voldemort slowly walked over to them. "Don't you know that? I will fulfill the prophecy," he said.

Alice's eyes widened in horror. "No! No!" she screamed. "You can't! Please-"

"_Sssilencio_," he snarled. Voldemort did not want to listen to her pathetic cries.

He crouched down and took their wands from them. They tried to move away but bound like they were they did not have a chance. Sparing them a short glance Voldemort broke their wands in two.

"You will not need them any more," he said and threw the pieces on the floor.

Standing up Voldemort went further into the house leaving the Longbottoms behind who could not do anything but stare accusingly at him.

It was not hard for Voldemort to find the boy since the house was very small. He only had to follow the light. The child was crying in its crib like it had instinctively felt that something was wrong.

Voldemort hated it before he had even properly looked at it. He hated the sound of crying, he had always hated it. It was so weak, so pathetic that it was almost an insult to his own inner strength.

Voldemort regarded the child. How fragile, how vulnerable it was. His lips twitched in jeer and disgust. He rose his wand and waited for something to happen. But nothing did happen. The child whimpered, Voldemort hissed. Still nothing. He felt a stab of disappointment. There was nothing special about this child. But it did not matter.

"_Avada Kedavra,_" he whispered.

The green jet of light hit the child and it lay still. Dead. Voldemort could feel his soul become fragile and with a little mental pressure it split. In the past he had used objects which were special to him because of their origin as his horcruxes. And he had used special murders to create them. Tonight he would create his last horcrux. With the death of his prophesied enemy and the most special object.

Carefully Voldemort floated the piece of his soul that he had split apart into his wand. The wood glowed hot in his hand for a moment as it accepted his soul. Voldemort started to laugh.

Seven pieces. His way to immortality was completed. He looked at his wand. He could feel it call out to him more than ever, connected to him through a piece of his soul. He expected the wand to have become stronger but he could not be sure of that unless he put it to a test.

Still grinning wickedly he went back to the Longbottoms.

They stared at him, their eyes full of hate, shock and grief, disgusted by his obviously good mood. He smirked at Frank and slowly turned towards Alice.

Voldemort vanished the ropes that tied her down. As soon as she was free she tried to lunge at him but stumbled over, her feet numb from the tight ropes.

"_Crucio_." Voldemort said softly, curious to see what would happen.

The horcrux felt his hatred and responded to it. Voldmort could tell immediately that the spell was stronger than before. By far. He smiled triumphantly as he watched Alice writhe in pain. She was screaming but no sound left her lips for the silencing spell still lasted.

Far too soon for Voldemort's liking she stopped screaming and went limp. He would not allow her to flee in the sweet numbness of unconsciousness.

"_Enervate_." he ordered without lifting the torturing spell. Now Alice would not become unconscious anymore no matter the pain she might feel.

What followed afterward felt like hours for Frank. He could not look away from Alice who writhed in agony and tore his soul apart. He had the feeling it never ended. He knew that less time must have passed than he thought but still, it was enough. Frank did not know when he had started crying but this was more than he could take.

Voldemort saw the man's tears. They disgusted him. They increased his hatred. And they made him want to hurt Alice further.

As time passed he could feel Alice's spirit break. He was satisfied. Normally it took hours to break someone's mind but now it had not taken him more than 40 minutes.

As he lifted the spell Alice threw up on the floor. Then she fell down and lay still, her muscles unable to make another move.

Voldemort lifted the _silencio _spell. He could hear Alice sob quietly.

He bent down and stroke her hair in a solacing fashion. "Alice," he said sweetly. "Look at me."

Shivering she lifted her head and stared at him, no sign of recognizing in her haunted eyes. Good. She reached out for him but he slapped her hand away.

"Don't touch me," he chided her. "You are dirty, little whore."

Alice frowned in confusion, apparently she had not understood what he had said, but she obeyed.

"Your son," Voldemort reminded her. Now Alice made a sound of anguish that was not quite human.

"You remember," Voldemort smiled. Roughly he grabbed Alice by her hair and turned her head so that she faced Frank.

"This man killed him," he whispered in her ear. "He tore him into bloody pieces."

Alice screamed in insane rage and Frank could not do anything but shake his head fiercely, still unable to speak. His face had taken a sick, green color.

"Do you want revenge?" Voldemort asked Alice while he conjured a large knife.

"Yes," she growled and greedily snatched the knife from his hand.

"Cut him open," he ordered and let go of her hair.

Alice stormed over to her husband and stabbed him with such a fierce passion that it bordered on insanity.

Voldemort laughed. "Yes, kill him like you were one of the filthy muggles you love so much, little Alice," he sneered.

When she heard his voice her eyes became clear for a second. She stared at Frank's lacerated corpse and then at Voldemort.

"Nooo!" she howled and threw the knife at him. He vanished it before it could even come close to him.

"_Crucio._" he hissed.

The spell blasted Alice through the room and she hit the opposite wall with a foul cracking sound. He could feel her mind shatter into thousands of tiny fragments.

Voldemort lifted the spell. Alice was breathing heavily, making weak attempts to move. Her wild gaze rested on him but now she truly did not recognize him anymore.

He did not bother to look at her anymore. As silently as he had come Voldemort left the house. Outside he raised his wand towards the sky.

::Morsmordre.:: he said and disapparated.

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**A/N: So that's it, a bit short I know, but I wanted to update!!! What do you think?**


	3. 03 Severus' reward

**A/N: Lily's pureblood in this fic simply so that she would have the option of staying neutral with a family backing her up. I'm not sure if Petunia will appear in this. Maybe.**

_**N**_**ight ****_O_f _F_ate**

_**03. Severus' reward**_

"O Severus, have you heard about Frank and Alice?" Lily sobbed as she opened the door for him. Severus gently hugged her.

"Yes, Lily, I've heard about it," he said. Severus closed his eyes.

_And it is my fault. _He thought, blaming himself. No, he had not expected the Dark Lord to react so fast. But foremostly he had not thought about the question who else the prophecy might refer to. He had hurried up to pass the information on and directly after he had heard the prophecy he had instinctively expected it to refer to someone older who was powerful and experienced.

Lily softly pulled him into the house. Severus only went with her hesitantly.

"Where is James?" he asked.

"He's... out with friends," Lily answered weakly. Probably James was on an Order Meeting.

It was not like Severus was afraid of James, he just did not want James to yell at Lily because he had visited her.

Severus regarded Lily. Her eyes were red from crying and she looked like she had not slept at all. He knew that Alice had been a good friend of Lily.

"Why, Sev?" Lily looked at him, pleading for an explanation. "Can you tell me?"

Severus shook his head. He wished he could tell her. He wanted to justify what had happened – to justify himself although Lily knew nothing about the part he had taken in the incidence.

"I'm sorry. I can't," he answered. He wanted to say something comforting – anything, but Lily instantly turned away from him.

"No, _of course not_," she said sarcastically and laughed. It sounded bitter. "And James can't tell me anything either." She hugged herself. "Everything could have been so easy. But you-"

She broke off in furious tones and shook her head. It was their usual argument. Lily had always blamed him for taking a side in this war while she wanted to stay neutral. Severus suspected that her fury about that was one of the reasons why she had married James. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air between them that was only interrupted by a child's cry.

Lily seemed relieved that she got something to do and rushed into another room. Severus slowly followed her. Lily had cradled an infant boy her arms. His short hair was black and he had his mother's green eyes. Severus sighed. It was not visible yet that James was not the boy's father.

"I wished it was easier, too, Lily," Severus said lowly and softly stroke Lily's back.

She only nodded mechanically and her eyes did not leave her son.

"He is so beautiful," Lily whispered.

Severus wanted to agree to her but he had a lump in his throat that kept him from speaking. His heart cramped as the boy smiled up at him, unaware of the problems and sorrows around him. Severus had never told Lily what he was, what their son would become. At first he had not dared to because he had been afraid that she might reject him. That was one of the reasons why he had joined the Dark Lord – there, no one judged him for what he was. And now he could not tell Lily anymore. He knew that he had been reckless what was so very unlike him and that he should have never slept with her. But he did not want to hear that from Lily, because he could not regret it. No, he would never regret his son's existence.

But someday his secret would be unveiled. When the boy reached puberty his creature side would become dominant.

He sighed again. Lily looked up at him. Silently she pointed with her chin towards the living-room, softly rocking her son in her arms. Severus walked over to it and she followed him.

"Lily," he pleaded. He had tried so often and the answer had always been the same. "Come with me, please."

Lily shook her head. "No." she said as always. "I can't. Please understand me. I don't want to have anything to do with this war. I want a normal childhood for my son. Especially now that things are getting out of hand."

Severus clenched his jaw. "He is also _my _son," he reminded her. "And James is in the Order. Don't expect to be left alone by them."

Lily's eyes turned frosty. She knew that he was right and she hated it when he used that against her.

"I know that, Sev. But if I have to take a side I'd rather be with the Order. _James _doesn't kill infants." She briefly closed her eyes and pressed their son Harry – a name James had chosen – tighter to her chest. "Damn, Sev, it could have been our son. _Your _son."

"_I _didn't do anything!" Severus snapped, enraged now. Lily was startled for a moment. His reaction had been a little too fierce for someone innocent.

She narrowed her eyes. "Maybe, but you support it," she finally said ion cold tones.

Severus wanted to shout at her, to explain his choice, a choice that would also be the best for their son, but he could not without revealing his secret. So he kept silent, like always.

Lily looked at him, waiting for an answer she knew she would not get. Finally she turned away from him.

"You should go now," she said.

Normally he did as she told him at that point but not today. He stepped closely behind her.

"You know, Lily," he said calmly. "He _is _my son. I could simply take him away from you. Legally. But I don't do it. Because I don't want James to hurt you when he finds out that you betrayed him. I could get rid of your pathetic husband but I don't do it because _I _don't want to hurt you."

With that he turned away from her. She was shivering suspiciously. He did not want to see her tears.

When he had almost reached the door Lily shouted after him:

"How very _noble_ of you!"

Severus did not answer. He opened the door to leave and almost ran into James, Black and Lupin.

"What are _you_ doing here?" James asked gruffly.

"That's none of your concern, Potter," Severus retorted.

"Stay away from my wife, Snivellus," James said threateningly.

Black jabbed him in the ribs. "Careful, Prongs, he's a Death Eater, aren't you, Snivellus?" he asked Severus. "Want to tell us something about the Longbottoms?"

Now they looked outright furious. Severus brushed past them.

"Why don't you ask your cousin, Black?" he jeered before he disapparated. He had a task to carry out.

* * *

Severus apparated to Hogsmead. It would not take long until he would be spotted by aurors but that did not matter. In fact it was what he wanted. This was his chance to get close to his son and it was the best reward the Dark Lord could offer him. Well, maybe not the best but the best of those Severus was willing to take. Shivering a little bit Severus thought back to their meting...

_6 hours earlier_

"_Stay behind, Severus," the Dark Lord ordered as the others left._

_Severus waited in anticipation. Once everyone else was gone the Dark Lord stepped close behind Severus._

"_As I said before you have served me very well tonight, Severus," he said. "And you will be rewarded for that. I got the impression there is already something on your mind."_

_Severus nodded. "You are right, my Lord. You know about my son..."_

"_Harry Potter," mused the Dark Lord, slowly moving around Severus until he could see his face. "I believe we have spoken about him before."_

"_Yes, we have. You know that Lily Evans refuses to take a side like her whole family. She is unwilling to leave Potter and to come with me." Severus explained._

"_It's such a waist," the Dark Lord said, more to himself than to Severus. "The Evans' are a very old, powerful pureblood family... But Severus, I assumed you could take care of that problem yourself. Of course, if you should need assistance in widowing Lily Evans you may have it." There was an amused tone in his voice as he said that. The Dark Lord seemed to know there was a deeper reason to the fact that Severus had not acted until now._

_Severus looked away nervously. He was not sure how the Dark Lord would react to his request._

"_My Lord, I am well aware of all my options and I would have settled things by myself by now, but..."_

"_But what? What is it, Severus?" the Dark Lord asked, clearly amused now._

_Severus felt ashamed and he knew that his master would despise him for his weakness. "I don't want to hurt Lily... I don't want her to be unhappy... to do something that would make her unhappy."_

_Severus had a very hard time admitting this, normally his feelings were not something he shared with anyone._

_The Dark Lord showed no reaction to what he had just said. He stared at Severus._

"_You would place her happiness over your own? Her believes over yours?" he asked lowly._

_Severus looked wearily at the Dark Lord. He was not sure what was expected of him. Still he knew it was better to stay true. He nodded hesitantly._

"_I love her," he whispered under his breath._

_His words caused the Dark Lord to laugh, it was a cold, mirthless laughter that sent chills down Severus' spine._

"_Love iss ssuch a weakness Sseveruss," hissed the Dark Lord and Severus could hear tones of the serpent language in his passionate speaking. "It chainss you and ensslavess you to your own sself. I thought that you may actually realizze that."_

"_I know, my Lord, and I wished it was different. But I cannot help it," Severus said. Sometimes he really wished that he would not love Lily. That he could be indifferent towards her. But most of the times he loved her too much too regret it. No matter how she had hurt him. And still was hurting him._

"_I see." said the Dark Lord finally, his crimson eyes peering in Severus' dark orbs, once more emotionless. "I will respect your request since you proved yourself worthy. I have a task for you that will, in case you complete it successfully, help you stay closer to your son." He paused. Severus waited for him to continue, showing no sign of the urgency he felt._

"_You will go to Albus Dumbledore and convince him that you want to change sides. Tell him that it was you who overheard the prophecy and how guilty you feel for what has happened."_

_Severus frowned slightly. "My Lord, do you think Dumbledore will buy that? He will most likely hand me over to the Ministry."_

_The Dark Lord smirked. "No he won't. I know him. Dumbledore is blinded by thinking the best of everyone. Be convincing and he will fall for it, he will trust you. He knows that you are surpassingly skilled with potions. I have heard that Horace Slughorn retired this year. Dumbledore will most likely offer you Slughorn's post as potions teacher in order to protect you."_

_..._In no time the aurors had found him. As far as Severus could see most of them were also members of Dumbledore's Order. He did not try to defend himself as they quickly disarmed him.

"Who is it?" one of the aurors asked.

Severus squinted, blended by the light from their wands which were pointed at his face.

"That's Severus Snape," another one answered. Severus could hear murmurs among the aurors.

"What do you want here, Snape?" one of them asked. Severus could not see any of them, the light of their wands far too bright.

"I came here to talk to Dumbledore. Please... I have important information for him."

"What information?" Severus was asked.

"Considering... considering the Longbottoms," he revealed hesitantly.

Again, murmurs erupted.

"How would you know about that? I say, we give him some _veritaserum_...," said one furious voice.

"No wait," someone else interrupted. "Dumbledore said if anyone wanted to speak to him, we should take him to Dumbledore."

The majority agreed and one auror stepped forward to bind and blindfold Severus.

"So that you don't try something stupid," he said.

As they levitated Severus away he could still hear them talk.

"...far too dangerous..."

"...the Longbottoms? How should that boy know anything?..."

"...I've heard he's a Death Eater..."

"...definitely lying. He only wants attention, we should not even deal with him..."

"...might be a trap. I don't know why Dumbledore is doing this..."

"...Ministry will not approve of this..."

_Well, it could have gone worse,_ thought Severus. At least they were taking him to Dumbledore.

* * *

Dumbledore regarded Severus through his half moon glasses. He had been the younger man's teacher until Severus had graduated two years before.

Dumbledore sighed. His expression was hard to read. Severus saw something that might be sadness but Dumbledore although seemed to be very alert.

"Why did you come to me, Severus? Do you have a message from your master?" Dumbledore asked strictly.

Severus frantically shook his head. How Dumbledore knew that he was a Death Eater was beyond Severus, of course it was widely speculated among the Order but no one knew for sure, besides Lily.

"What is it, then?" Dumbledore asked. Severus could not see the man's reaction since he was looking down.

"Headmaster," he crooked. "I've made... a terrible mistake. Please, … I never meant – meant for this to happen..."

"What did you do?" Dumbledore urged him and Severus could hear that he was afraid now of whatever he might have done.

"I...," Severus searched for words and looked up to elderly the headmaster. "The night you were meeting Trelawney," he whispered. "I heard every word you spoke."

"And you told Voldemort," Dumbledore reasoned, his voice cold, almost as if dead.

Severus reached forward as if to grab Dumbledore's robes but the older man instinctively leaned back, a look of disgust on his face. "I didn't know! I did not mean to... to..., I – I did not think about what the prophecy would mean, who it would mean... and even if – if I had, I would have never, never assumed...," he pleaded. In an odd way it felt good to speak about this and everything that Severus said came out with a hint of real emotion. He had not realized up to this point how much his actions actually troubled him. He needed to confide in someone and he felt that he deserved Dumbledore's rejection.

The headmaster regarded him closely. During Severus' rambling he had regained his controlled facade. "Forgive me if I am under the wrong impression but it seems very unlike you, Severus, to confess what you have done, even if you feel guilty for it."

Severus nodded. "That's probably right, headmaster," he admitted. "It's just – I am afraid that, that what happened to the Longbottoms... might be … repeated."

That seemed to have definitely caught Dumbledore's interest. "Are you thinking about someone in particular?"

Severus nodded. "I – I have a son..."

Dumbledore seemed surprised. "I didn't know that."

"Besides me... only four people know that I am the boys father...," Severus explained.

Dumbledore seemed to begin to understand what the problem actually was. "I suppose then that the mother would be on our side?" he asked.

"That is not entirely right... it's Lily Potter," Severus finally revealed, looking down again.

"You are Harry Potter's father?" Dumbledore sounded shocked. "Does Voldemort know that?"

Severus flinched at the name but nodded.

"Then why did you not ask him for help? Surely he would _approve _of Lily. After all she is the heir to the Evans family and she has stayed neutral until now." Dumbledore asked coldly.

It seemed somehow ironic to Severus that the first conclusion Dumbledore made was the same the Dark Lord had made.

Severus sadly shook his head. "I will never make her unhappy, Dumbledore. And if that means that she stays with James for the rest of her life."

"Do you really love her so much?" Dumbledore asked, suddenly much softer.

Again Severus nodded weakly. "I love her more than anything else in the world." And that was true.

"Please protect her! Protect my son and even James, I don't care. I will do anything for you, if you just keep them alive. I don't care about the outcome of this war anymore, as long as they survive! In return I will do anything you require from me..." Severus offered desperately.

Dumbledore's face had taken a thoughtful expression. "Surely reporting about the prophecy has gained you Voldemort's trust?" he asked slowly.

Severus nodded confused. "Yes... but I don't care... I do not wish to be on his side anymore."

"Does he know that you came to me tonight?" Dumbledore questioned.

"No...," Severus answered. "Not that I know of..."

"Then there is one thing you can do for me, Severus. Remain in your position. You surely will become part of his inner circle now. Spy for me on Voldemort and in turn I will protect your family and you, Severus, should you ever need my protection."

Severus nodded momentarily. "As long as you protect them I will do as you say."

"Good. Then it is settled. In the next days, talk to Voldemort about your problem. I'm quite positive that he will order you to join our side as a spy. When that happens come to me again and I will offer you the position of the potions teacher in Hogwarts. There you will be relatively protected, especially from the ministry. I will convince them that you are not a Death Eater anymore. Voldemort will be pleased as well because as a teacher you are in a formidable position of influence."

Severus nodded. "But Dumbledore, won't the Dark Lord get suspicious that I may have truly joined you...?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "No, Severus. He does not understand love or what we are willing to do for it. He thinks that everyone values power above anything else, like he does."

Severus nodded. What Dumbledore did not understand was that the Dark Lord might not feel love himself, but that he perfectly knew how others felt and how to use that against them eventually.

After leaving Hogwarts Severus wondered: Had he really made the right decision two years ago?

He did not know. Now he was on both sides, spying for Dumbledore and for the Dark Lord. He only hoped that he would not forget what was true and what was fake in this complicated game.

* * *

**Okay that's chapter three! A few things:**

**When Dumbledore says "our side" he does not yet include Sev. He is talking about himself and the Order otP.**

**WASN'T THIS STORY SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT HARRY POTTER??? It still is! I realize that Harry had no real part in this yet besides his doubtful attempt to end his life in chapter one... He will be the main character, but until he goes to Hogwarts there will also be a lot about Sev, Lily, James and some others in this story. Also about Harry, don't worry, but not mainly.**

**Okay, enough senseless talking on my part... or no, a little bit more:**

**Thanks for all the reviews I got! They were great!!**

**Please review this chapter as well!!**


	4. 04 scent

**Thanks for all your reviews! They're amazing, they keep me going!**

**Sorry for the long wait, school work has been killing me, here's the next chapter, have fun!!**

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_**N**_**ight ****_O_f _F_ate**

_04. Scent_

Remus looked around. He was surrounded by the Order of the Phoenix, people who had the strength and will to stand up against the Dark Lord, people like him. But even here the common feeling of weariness and subliminal fear was present.

Dumbledore had called a meeting with his most trusted allies to announce something important. No one knew what it actually was and the attendées had already started guessing.

There had been complaints that it was too dangerous to hold a meeting where the strongest Order members were present in one place but nevertheless there was no one who had not come.

Remus had noticed that the fear in many of them had increased since the attack on the Longbottoms although they were all trying to hide it. But they could not fool his werewolf instincts. He could smell their fear like acid burning in his nose, he knew it was there and he knew it was growing.

Remus was saddened by that development. Once they had been an uprising group of resistance, who fought with belief and force for their goals. But only within a few years voices had grown loud that it was a fight of desperation. And these voices were heard the more time passed in which they could not achieve victory. _The more of them died._

Another point was that it was still unknown how Voldemort had found the Longbottoms hideout. It was suspected that there was a traitor in their rows.

Remus looked around tiredly. He was sitting between Peter and James. Sirius was there, too, and many of their other friends: Arthur and Molly Weasley, Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody, Ted Tonks and his wife Andromeda, one of Sirius' cousins, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, Rubeus Hagrid, Mundungus Fletcher and Dumbledore's brother Aberforth.

They all looked worried and exhausted, there was no doubt to that. On some it was more visible than on other's but it was unmistakable. Peter had been so nervous and fidgety since the Longbottoms' death that Remus was almost surprised that his friend had not broken into open panic yet.

There was only low chatting between the attendées, the atmosphere was one of sadness, anger and concern.

When Dumbledore stepped into the room, silence spread almost momentarily. All of the faces turned to the headmaster.

"My friends," he started out, "thank you for coming. I realize that this meeting poses a risk to all of us. But I have news that everyone of you should share."

There were murmurs to be heard in the room at Dumbledore's last words. James stretched in his chair. Peter started to blink nervously at Dumbledore.

"One of the Death Eaters turned away from Voldemort and agreed to become our spy," the old man announced.

Multiple chatting erupted. It was one of the best news they had gotten in _months. _This could be the turning point in the war!

Remus leaned forward. "Who is it?," he asked along with several others.

James and Sirius were looking excitedly at each other. Dumbledore's face however stayed serious.

"Severus, please come in," Dumbledore said so lowly that Remus could only hear it due to his extraordinarily sharp senses.

Severus? Not like in Severus Snape? It could not be. Remus was filled with a nauseating feeling of foreboding. This was going to get even more complicated than it already was.

Remus had not expected wrong. The dark, young man who stepped into the room was indeed Severus Snape.

"You can't mean that! We can't trust him!," James exclaimed jumping up from his chair. James hated Severus Snape fiercely since their first day in Hogwarts, Remus assumed that it was mainly because of the others closeness to Lily.

The feeling was more than mutual, though. Snape glanced briefly at James and displeasure flickered on his face.

James outburst was accompanied with similar others but no one was as opposing as Remus' friend.

Sirius had a dark look on his face but he said nothing – for now. Remus was convinced that Sirius would back James up. Peter however eyed Snape with the same nervousness he had expressed before.

"How do you know we can trust him,?" asked "Mad Eye" Moody.

"Please stay quite and I will explain it to you," Dumbledore requested and they obeyed though some still looked doubtful or angry.

"Severus Snape was or is as we already suspected a Death Eater. However the recent events – especially the Longbottoms death – changed his views on this war. He came to me to ask for help, for protection. I offered him help should he, in exchange, become a spy. As you have, no doubt, concluded by now, he agreed," explained the headmaster.

"That does not sound convincing if you ask me Dumbledore," grumbled Mad Eye.

"What do you know about the Longbottoms' death, Severus?," Andromeda demanded loudly. She had gone to Hogwarts about the same time as James, Peter, Sirius, Remus and Snape.

"What help did you offer him?," Emmeline Vance questioned Dumbledore.

"That's a bunch of lies! He's tricking you, Dumbledore! Snivellus will never change sides, he loves the Dark Arts!," Sirius shouted above the others.

"Padfoot, maybe he really-," Remus tried to calm his friend down but Sirius interrupted him: "Stop seeing good in everyone, Moony! You know what he was like in school!"

"Well, it was _you _who tried to kill me when you were only 16, Black, not the other way round!," Snape accused Sirius angrily; his cheeks had become reddish at the mention of the name James and Sirius had bestowed on him. "Insanity has not taken root in _my _family."

It clearly was a hint towards Bellatrix, whose fanaticism was infamous.

"She is no family of mine," spat Sirius, agitated now.

Andromeda rose in her chair. "Don't speak about my sister like that," she demanded and looked darkly at Sirius and Snape. Remus knew that Andromeda had been gravely hurt when she had been disinherited. Especially Bella's rejection had been hard for her to take, since she had always loved her older sister dearly and still hoped that matters could be changed.

However, not everyone understood her. "Why do you _still _defend Bellatrix, Dromeda,?" Fabian Prewett shook his head in deprecation. "She tried to put Ted under the _cruciatus_!"

"Do you think I don't know that-" Andromeda started but Dumbledore cut her off.

"Accusing each other does not help us," he said sternly. "Mr. Snape explained his reasons to me and asked me to keep quiet about them. I will fulfil his request but let me assure you that they are severe. I ask you to trust me with this."

Dumbledore looked around to see if anyone would disagree. When no one did he continued on:

"In exchange to his help I offered the position of the Potions teacher at Hogwarts to him."

"You can't be serious," Gideon Prewett said. "You don't know this man, yet you allow him to be in such a position of influence?"

"You forget, Gideon," Dumbledore answered, patiently but determinedly, "that I was Severus' teacher at Hogwarts. I know that he will take his job serious and furthermore I will be able to keep an eye on him when he is at the school should he ever – how unlikely as it may be – betray my trust."

This argument was reasonable. Gideon nodded and everyone else kept silent, although some were not happy at all, like James or Sirius. As long as Snape stayed at Hogwarts, Dumbledore would be able to control him.

"We will discuss the matter further at another time. There is something else I have to tell you now," Dumbleodre announced, suddenly looking very tired. "Please take a seat, Severus."

Reluctantly Snape sat down on an empty chair.

The tone in Dumbledore's voice made the hairs in Remus' neck stand up. He knew he would not like what Dumbledore was about to tell them.

"I have considered long if I should share this information with you or not. However, I think it would not be fair to withhold it and I want you to be prepared should Voldemort decide to reveal it publicly."

Dumbledore paused and everyone waited for him to continue. "The reason why he attacked the Longbottoms was a prophecy made in the night of October 30th. _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born when the seventh month dies..._"

The headmasters words were met by silence. Remus sat still in shock as well as everyone else, forgotten was Severus Snape whose face had taken an unreadable expression as he stared into nothingness.

"And you think... that Neville Longbottom was meant by that prophecy?," Sturgis Podmore broke the silence, his voice sounding somewhat shocked.

They all knew that little Neville was the only one of the Longbottoms born at the end of July.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "I'm quite sure. Neville Longbottom fits all the descriptions in the prophecy."

Again, silence lingered upon the crowd, this time however it was cold and numb and Remus could smell the building agitation in the room.

Molly Weasley jumped up when the silence became almost unbearable. "This is madness!," she cried. "Are you telling me that the reason for so much death... for the death of the poor boy – were those words? A few simple sentences!?"

No one answered her question and after a few moments she shook her head and sat down again. Arthur gently put an arm around her and whispered something in her ear, Remus could not understand it and he did not care.

After a while Emmeline Vance spoke up. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "If Neville Longbottom was indeed the prophesied child, what happens to the prophecy now that he is dead? If he was the one with the _power to vanquish the Dark Lord_,does this mean that no one else will be able to do that?," Emmeline's voice was calm, almost unnaturally so.

All of them kept their breathes. They had wondered the same and at least it had been her to voice it.

Dumbledore briefly closed his eyes. He certainly had been expecting this questions. He sighed.

"I cannot answer this question for sure," he said. "But even if that should be the case, I ask you not to lose faith. There are other ways to end this conflict than through the death of Lord Voldemort."

Remus knew that Dumbledore was probably right. After all no one should know this better than Dumbledore who had imprisoned Gellert Grindelwald. But in that moment the words had no effect on Remus. In that moment he could not see a way out and neither could anyone else.

"If you had informed us of the prophecy earlier we could have effectively protected the Longbottoms," Moody growled.

"It is too late," Dumbledore answered tiredly. "I did not reveal the information because I was afraid that it might be passed on to the wrong people."

Some of the attendées looked hurt at that statement. Moody however did not bother with something like taking offense.

"How did You Know Who know the prophecy then? And there is no doubt that he does!" Moody demanded to know.

"It must have been overheard as it was made. There is no other possibility." Dumbledore admitted.

"So who made i-" Dedalus Diggle started out but he was interrupted by Aberforth who had stood up and glared at Dumbledore.

"People never change, Albus! You should have protected the child no matter what, not because it was the prophesied _savior_-" he darkly glared at the crowd and some looked down ashamedly "- but because a _child_ should not be involved in a war. You could have secured Neville Longbottom's safety but instead you let him die because you can't trust other people with _anything_. You have to do everything by yourself, because you believe only you can do it right! Pah, the greater good! Didn't you notice or do you just not care that _people still keep dying _because of your wretched schemes, _brother_?"

With that Aberforth stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

It had only been the peak of the iceberg. The discussion went on for almost an hour until the majority had left saying that "this leads to nothing". Dumbledore had patiently answered all their questions, fully aware that it was their right to know the answers. Not once had he tried to end the meeting and it seemed that he would leave only then when everyone else was gone.

Besides Remus only Moody, Emmeline, Andromeda and Ted, the Prewett brothers, James, Sirius, Peter and Severus Snape had stayed up to now.

Emmeline, Andromeda, Ted and the Prewetts had been the Longbottoms closest friends. Ted had asked Andromeda to leave more than once already but she had refused so he stayed with her.

Remus was not part of the discussion anymore, only Emmeline, Fabian, Gideon and Mad Eye were still talking to Dumbledore.

But Remus had not yet found the strength to go either. So he had halfheartedly listened to the others while he was brooding. Peter looked like he was unable to ever move again and Snape seemed to be eager not to stir their attention again which had so genuinely turned away from him.

Finally Remus sighed.

"I'm going," he said.

His voice broke James and Sirius out of their trance. They nodded and stood up. "We'll join you," James said tiredly.

"Are you coming too, Peter?," Remus asked his friend.

Peter looked up at him and nodded hastily. Silently they walked to the door, not wanting to disturb the others when Sirius said:

"Can you wait? It's just a moment."

They nodded and Sirius walked over and talked to his cousin Andromeda. Remus watched her nod and hug her cousin when he caught something odd.

Confused, he looked around. First he did not understand what his senses were telling him. This scent was so familiar... then it hit him: For the first time since school he had caught Snape's scent again. _Really _caught it. And now he noticed what had escaped his attention when they had met a few days ago. Looking at the dark haired man who sat close to the door Remus could only stare.

The familiarity was almost overpowering. That only left one conclusion: Severus Snape was Harry's father.

Remus' gaze flickered over to James. He was sure that his best friend did not know, otherwise he would have reacted differently to Snape's presence. Remus already had his mouth half opened to blurt out the truth but he closed it again.

Lily would know that Snape was Harry's father. If she had decided not to tell James... it was not up to Remus to do so. He would probably cause more harm with it than good.

Remus still glanced at Severus. He felt sorry for James but most of all he felt sorry for Harry. He only hoped that Lily would talk to James before Harry's parentage became obvious.

But did Lily know? Remus wondered. He had always kept silent about Severus' secret because Snape had done him the same favor. Maybe Lily did not know what was obvious to him?

In Harry it was still dim, therefor he had not noticed it so far, but for a werewolf there was no mistaking the creature blood that run in Snape's veins...

* * *

"So, Severus," the Dark Lord spoke, "what did you learn today?"

The large room was empty aside from the two of them.

After their Lord had told them about the prophecy the Death Eaters had used the opportunity to celebrate. It was not really their merit but it meant a break in the war since the Order had to reorganize themselves now and were busy for the time being.

Severus had barely managed to escape Lucius who had been determined to drag him to the ball Narcissa had insisted on holding. Severus knew that Lucius hated those social gatherings where he had to impress and influence the Ministry but he had not let himself be persuaded.

Lucius had sighed and instead started to slobber over Draco. (A/N: nooo, lucius became maes hughes! ^^) Severus had been saved from his burning mark.

The Dark Lord had apparently not bothered to call a full meeting.

Severus reported about the reactions on himself and Dumbledore telling the Order about the prophecy.

The Dark Lord's face had taken a thoughtful expression.

"How did they take the news? How was the atmosphere?," he asked after a while.

Severus frowned. "Depressed," he answered. "Angry. Some seemed tired to fight." He described the discussion, especially pointing out Andromeda's and Aberforth's reactions.

When he had ended, the Dark Lord smiled at him. "Maybe," he said solemnly, "it is time we change our tactic."

"My Lord?," asked Severus.

But the other one just regarded him with that knowing, cruel smile. "You can go now," Severus was dismissed.

Obediently Severus disapparated.

"So you decided to come back!," he was greeted by Lucius' voice.

Severus sighed and cracked a smile. "I guess I have nothing better to do anyways. I can still get drunk at your party."

"No way," Lucius said in mock offense. "First you have to meet the Minister. He is _dying _to get to know Dumbledore's newest teacher _and _head of the house Slytherin, not to forget."

"You know, I'd _love_ to see Draco first," Severus quickly responded.

Lucius beamed. They would definitely be busy for a long time now. "That's a wonderful idea, Cissy can entertain the guests. Come on, Sev, come," Lucius rambled cheerily.

Not sorry at all for missing Cissy's ball Severus followed Lucius out of his study where the blonde man had been hiding to his godson's room.

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**REVIEW PLEASE!!!**

**Please go to my profile and vote the poll on my fics!**

**Harry will appear in the next chapter, promise but I had to delay it a bit because this chapter is very important for the further progress of the story!!**

**In case you wonder: Sure Dumbles normally doesn't reveal important information but he is not stupid either and he knew if he had kept silent about the prophecy and Voldemort made it public he could have given up immediately. (His Order would have freaked! XD)**

**Until next time which will hopefully be sooner, Cathy**


	5. 05 political decisions

**A/N:**

**I can't really say anything to apologize for the long wait. My graduation came in my way and I didn't have any time to write and yeah, I missed like hell. Only thing I can promise that I won't make you wait that long again!**

**I've changed my pen name from Lady Cathy to Bizarre Dreamscapes. I'm not sure what this means for any favs or alerts... whatever, here you go, you've waited long enough!**

**PLEASE READ:**

**(1) **_Magical __London _is a local magazine published in London. It's made up by me. It's supposed to be the magazine where Rita Skeeter started her career.

**(2)** Millicent Bagnold proceeded Cornelius Fudge as Minister for Magic. Information taken from the Harry Potter Lexicon.

**OC's in this chapter:**

Samuel Marlowe – Minister Bagnold's closest advisor and aid

Marc Steward – Unspeakable, responsible for the hall of prophecies

Alexander Graham – Minister Bagnold's Undersecretary

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_**N**_**ight ****_O_f _F_ate**

_05. political decisions_

Just like Dumbledore had assumed the rumour about a prophecy foretelling Neville Longbottom's death went around than any authority would have appreciated. Only one day after Dumbledore had met up with his most trusted supporters the papers of wizarding Britain were filled with the most varying, truth-bending and dramatic versions of said prophecy.

Needless to say that these reports became more and more exaggerated the more people talked about them. But fact remained that these rumours had a source and even if a part of wizarding Britain – though only a minority – declared the so called 'prophecy' a lie the public still demanded answers.

And so on the morning of the 3rd November Millicent Bagnold, current Minister for Magic, was greeted with the sight of about 20 different magazines and newspapers lying on her desk, all with similar headlines on the cover. Aids and secretaries had taken position in her office and as soon as Minister Bagnold entered they immediately began blurting out the news at her.

"Minister, they are all reporting about the prophecy -"

"What should we do now?"

"There are reporters here, demanding a statement -"

"You have to give a press conference -"

"- hell, even the _Quibbler_ brought it -"

"- it's the best to disclaim everything, Minister."

"- Crouch is already talking to the reporters -"

"- this could be the end of your career, Minister."

"- what about Dumbledore and his Order?"

"Silence!" interrupted Minister Bagnold all of them. She had not yet read any newspaper and had flooed directly to the Minister's own fireplace on the same floor where her office was located this morning so the news had been unbeknownst to her until now.

"First, one of you – only _one_ – please tell me what is going on?" she demanded calmly.

The aids exchanged meaningful looks. One of them stepped up to the Minister.

"Minister," he started and pointed at the newspapers scattered over the desk. "All of these magazines brought reports about a prophecy concerning You Know Who and Neville Longbottom today. It is unclear what the prophecy says since there are many different versions going around by now. Reporters demand a statement from you – if the prophecy really exists, what it says and what you are going to do now."

That was a blatant understatement considering the reporters' interest and the Minister knew from expertise that these would only be the most easily answered questions.

"Thanks, Mr. Marlowe," the Minister answered. "Well then, _does _the prophecy exist?"

Another aid stepped up to the Minister. "I spoke to Steward this morning and he confirmed the existence of the prophecy. But maybe it would be wise to deny its exis-"

"No," Bagnold cut her aid off. "We can't do that. Too many already know about it. Call Steward up here immediately and tell him to bring this prophecy. I need to hear it." The aid nodded and hurried to the nearest fire place. "Where did the rumour about the prophecy come from? From within the Ministry?"

"We believe not, Minister," answered Marlowe. "Most of the newspaper articles hint to the fact that You Know Who knew the prophecy and acted according to it. We assume that the knowledge about its existence was spread by the Death Eaters."

Minister Bagnold dismissed the thought. "We can't know that for sure. What about Dumbledore? Did he comment on those articles already?"

"No, Minister," said Marlowe. "Not a word. Should we contact him?"

Bagnold shook her head. "No. We need to hear the prophecy first. What is taking Miss Taylor so long?"

"Shall I fetch her?" another aid asked but in that moment aid Taylor who had been sent to get Steward as well as Marc Steward himself, responsible Unspeakable for the hall of prophecies, emerged the fire place.

"Unspeakable Steward, Minister," announced aid Taylor.

"Good," said the Minister. "Mr. Steward did you bring the prophecy?"

Steward nodded. "Yes, Minister." Carefully he unwrapped a glass ball in the seize of a fist that he had transported wrapped in a soft cloth. The other occupants of the Minister's office stared at the glass ball, never before having seen a prophecy.

The moment Steward's bare skin touched the glass a ghostly voice started speaking:

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born when the seventh month dies..._"

The first reaction to those words was stunned silence. But Minister Bagnold quickly came back to business.

"Pray tell, Mr. Steward," she asked, barely keeping her voice professional. "Why did you not inform me of this prophecy earlier?"

Steward looked reluctant as he wrapped the prophecy again. "Minister, surely you are aware that prophecies can only be removed by those they refer to or when they are fulfilled."

"I am quite aware, thank you, Steward," Bagnold said coldly. "That does not change the fact that you should at least have alerted me that there was a prophecy made about You Know Who in the first place. Even you should realize its political importance. Secondly, since Neville Longbottom hardly was off age, could you not have his parents remove it? The prophecy does refer to Neville Longbottom, does it not?"

A week ago Minister Bagnold had had no idea who Neville Longbottom was. But the boy being gruesomely murdered had made him very known and she had already given a press conference to that event.

"His parents could probably have removed it and yes, the prophecy does refer to Neville Longbottom," Steward admitted in resignation. Truth was that he had not even known about the prophecy's existence himself before today's morning. There had never been any important prophecies in the time he worked with the Unspeakables and the Hall of Prophecies was probably the most boring department that existed in the Ministry. Until now. Steward knew that he had – though not yet officially – already lost his job since there was no way that he was not going to be blamed for his omission.

Bagnold sighed. She did not question his failure further. "What else can you tell me about the prophecy?"

"It was made by a certain S. Trelawney," Steward answered. "And apparently it was witnessed by Albus Dumbledore."

A gasp went through the room but no one dared commenting on the information after seeing the expression on Millicent Bagnold's face.

"Thank you, Unspeakable Steward," the Minister said. "You can go for now. Expect to be questioned about withholding the knowledge about the prophecy."

Steward nodded again and left for the fire place.

When he was gone Minister Bagnold asked tensely: "Still no word from Dumbledore?"

The aids shook their heads.

"Minister," Marlowe spoke up. "Maybe it is wise to distance yourself from Dumbledore in that matter. If he knew about the prophecy he should have informed the Ministry. In that case we could have protected Neville Longbottom properly."

"It may also distract from the fact that the Unspeakables acted irresponsible as well," another aid suggested. "You have to think about your position. Bartemius Crouch already talked to the reporters stating his disdain for the newspapers causing such severe confusion. He will probably be your strongest competitor in the next election. Should any blame in this affair fall on you it could damage your reputation massively."

"That is correct, Minister," Marlowe agreed. "It would also be the perfect opportunity to weaken Dumbledore. He has already been offered the Minister's title twice. I know he reclined but should he decide otherwise the next time..."

They were right. The Minister pondered over it. On the other hand Dumbledore could be a strong ally in the fight against You Know Who. But he had not proven very useful in the past due to his refusal to work too close with the Ministry. And should his involvement with the prophecy get known there would be even more of a public uproar.

"If this is all, I will talk to the reporters now," she announced. Her aids nodded in compliance.

Bagnold was about to leave when Undersecretary Graham entered the room.

"Minister," he called for her in an urgent manner. "Lucius Malfoy is here and wishes to talk to you. He claims that it is very important and that you should hear him out before you give a press conference."

"It is rumoured that Malfoy has connections to the Death Eaters although it was never proven," Marlowe told Bagnold. "Maybe he has useful information."

"Fine. Sent him in," Bagnold said.

"He is not alone, Minister," Undersecretary Graham told her. "He has brought a … delegation, as he calls it."

"Then sent them all in," Bagnold demanded impatiently.

Undersecretary Graham nodded and left again before returning with Lucius Malfoy and his 'delegation'.

The Minister eyed the people he had brought with him. They were all part of the old, most influential pure blooded families she noted quickly: Lucius Malfoy himself, his wife Narcissa Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Saida Zabini, Andris Parkinson and surprisingly Barty Crouch Jr.

"Mr. Malfoy," Minister Bagnold greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Minister," Lucius Malfoy greeted. "Forgive me if I directly get to business. I assume you are in a hurry?"

"Quite so," Bagnold confirmed.

"We – my friends and I – came here to make you a proposal," Lucius Malfoy began. It was obvious that he was the leader of the group. "I assume there is no need for introductions?" When the Minister shook her head he continued. "Very well then. As representatives of the pure blooded society we are part of the Dark Lord's … political target group you could say. However in the light of the latest events we do not want to be associated with his organization. But we can all see that, if no measures are taken, this conflict may develop into a civil war. We believe that, should the Ministry make reforms that go _in the direction_ of the changes the Dark Lord aims to make, more will turn away from him because they do no longer see the need to support him."

"And you would help me make this _reforms_?" Bagnold inquired suspiciously.

Malfoy smiled slyly. "We would support your politics publicly and financially. As members of the old magical families you should not underestimate our influence in society."

"I have no doubt to that," Minister Bagnold answered. "But you must realize that I am neither able nor willing to make reforms that go as far as what He Who Must Not Be Named wants."

"Of course," Malfoy stated. "Should you agree to our proposal I recommend that we set up a contract that makes a note of how far exactly those reforms will go."

"I will consider it, however, I have to delay this decision for now and tend to the press," Bagnold said, clearly dismissing Malfoy.

Lucius Malfoy inclined his head in respect. "Thank you for your time, Minister." he said before he and his 'delegation' left.

"You have to go to the conference now, or they'll have your head, Minister," aid Taylor warned.

Right. The reporters. "I'm on my way," Bagnold said moving out of her office, her aids and Undersecretary close behind. "What do you think about Malfoy's proposal?"

"I advise to take it, Minister," Marlowe said lowly. "If what Malfoy predicted actually works and you can solve this conflict diplomatically you will be Britain's hero."

"Besides, should you reject Malfoy, what will he do?" Undersecretary Graham pointed out. "The only others influential enough to become next Minister are Crouch and Fudge. Crouch will never work with Malfoy, he hates all dark wizards and Fudge stands in close correspondence with Dumbledore or so I've heard. Malfoy could let himself be nominated as a candidate as well. That would be dangerous, he could become a bitter adversary to you."

"On the other side, Minster," said aid Taylor, "you have heard Malfoy. They _are_ the political target group of You Know Who. People know that. There is a risk that muggleborns and half-bloods will associate you with pure blood supremacy politics should you ally with Malfoy."

"Think about the fact that Crouch's son was with them," Marlowe reminded the Minister. "If Barty Jr openly supports you it will weaken his father."

"Malfoy _was _indeed rumored to be a Death Eater," argued Graham. "If you ally with Malfoy and any involvement with You Know Who on his part should be proven you could even go to Azkaban."

"Consider how many seats they have in the Wizengamot," Marlowe added. "Malfoy, Nott, Zabini, Parkinson and maybe Black. Narcissa Malfoy is one of the Black sisters. Bellatrix Lestrange is wanted for interrogation. Sirius Black holds the seat in the moment but he's in Dumbledore's Order, he could easily be killed as well as Andromeda. If they both die Narcissa gets the seat and the Malfoys will have two seats."

The Minister nodded slowly. "I will make a decision after the conference."

They had almost reached the conference room.

Taylor turned to her. "Are you ready, Minister?"

"As ready as one can be," Bagnold answered. Her aids laughed.

"Good luck, Minister," Marlowe said.

_I'll need it, _thought Bagnold.

* * *

"Before you ask any questions," the Minister for Magic stated as she stood in front of the reporters, "I wish to comment on the manifold articles published today. We do not know yet where the rumour came from but I must unfortunately confirm it." Bagnold tried not to blink in the flash-lights of cameras. "There is indeed a prophecy about Neville Longbottom and He Who Must Not Be Named. We have strong evidence that its content was the cause for the attack on the Longbottoms."

"But what does the prophecy _say_?" one of the reporters shouted. Bagnold believed that the brunette woman attended the conference for W_itch Weakly_.

"I cannot reveal that just yet. Analysis are still running," Bagnold stated. Truth was she wanted to wait with this shocking revelation until she could offer a solution. After all the prophecy stated that with Longbottom the only one who was able to 'vanquish' You Know Who had died. Maybe an alliance with Malfoy and a chance to solve this conflict diplomatically would not be so bad...

Of course her answer caused an uproar amongst the reporters who angrily demanded the truth. Bagnold said nothing and waited for them to fall silent again.

"Unspeakable Marc Steward," she continued on, "took full responsibility this morning for withholding information about the existence of the prophecy. There will of course be an investigation on his motives and he will face trial for his actions. I must unfortunately say, had the Department of Magical Law Enforcement been informed soon enough we could have protected the Longbottom family adequately.

Newest revelations brought up that Albus Dumbledore was present when the prophecy was made at first. I can only guess why he decided not to share those information with me. This development makes Dumbledore's organization, the so called 'Order of the Phoenix', appear in a new light. Headmaster Dumbledore has not yet commented on any of this but he too will be subjected to investigations as well as the nature of his Order. There is no doubt that everyone who withheld information about the prophecy is accessary to the crime that took part on 31rst October and therewith is suspicious of having connections to the Death Eater movement. Thank you. Questions please?"

The reporters immediately started shouting questions and raised their hands, all of them wanting to be picked first.

Bagnold wanted to go easy on the first question so she picked a young, blonde woman from a smaller magazine.

The woman flashed her a charming smile.

"Rita Skeeter, from _Magical London_," she said. "Minister, do you think Albus Dumbledore is still fit to lead a school full of children after such _tragic, grave _wrongdoing?"

Bagnold hid a frown, bad decision. But how goes the saying? In for a knut, in for a galleon.

"Personally, I am convinced that a new headmaster should be appointed," she stated firmly. "But that is not my right to decide, the Wizengamot will make this decision."

That statement was met by a flood of questions and so the conference went on for hours.

When it was finally over and Bagnold had run out of answers, especially to the questions what _exactly_ was going to happen now, she instructed Marlowe:

"Schedule a meeting with Lucius Malfoy, as soon as possible."

* * *

Lily stared at the papers. She had followed them alertly since the prophecy had turned up, for the first time a few days ago. Up to now every new report had worried her more. She had always thought highly of Professor Dumbledore as she inwardly still called her former headmaster. But after hearing about the prophecy this attitude had changed. She could not believe that Dumbledore had not informed the Ministry. Alice and Frank had been good friends of Lily's and she could not help but partly blame their death on the old man.

Of course Lily did not voice it but personally she thought that it had been right to strip Dumbledore of all his titles including being headmaster of Hogawarts. This had happened very quickly after the Ministry confirmed the existence of the prophecy. On the same occasion Minister Bagnold had revealed the content of the prophecy and announced her political alliance with Lucius Malfoy. Lily herself had been shocked about the content of the prophecy. She suspected that Severus had known about the prophecy when he had visited her after the attack on the Longbottoms. Yet he had not told her. The same went for James who had even admitted that the prophecy had been known to him but obviously he did not deem it necessary to share that information with her.

Lily saw hope in the fact that the Minister was now working with Lucius. In her eyes the Minister for Magic was right in believing that the conflict with the Death Eaters would cease if limited reforms were made. After all Lily knew many of Britain's pure bloods, not just those who were already working with Lucius. The Greengrass family for example. They were highly reasonable people, weren't they? Surely they would support Lucius?

Then again the fact that the Order of the Phoenix now was a group that only existed on the border of legality worried Lily highly. It was not illegal to be a member but that would change soon she was sure since any authority had been taken form them which made any action illegal. And there was no way that the Order would stop fighting.

"Lily," James called her tentatively. He was weary since they had had a fight because he had not told her about the prophecy.

"What is it?" Lily asked unfriendly, rocking Harry in her arms. She spent even more time than usual with her son lately like he was the only one providing her solace – something his father and her husband had failed greatly to do.

In the background Sirius, Remus and Peter who were staying at their house again much to Lily's annoyance – it was not that she did not like them but she had married James and not his friends, dammit! - pretended to be very busy.

"Lily, heart," James started again ignoring the scowl of his wife. "Don't you think it would be better if you moved to Potter Manor... just for a while? It's not really safe here in the current situation?"

Oho, so he wanted her out of the way? "And what is the _current situation_, huh?" Lily asked coldly. "Whose fault is the current situation? Hell, James you could get imprisoned or killed for staying in that Order! Is it really worth it? Become an auror, a real one, if you want to fight!"

"Lily, listen we had that conversation and I'm not leaving the Order. That's nothing to do with you being safer in Potter Manor or Godric's Hollow," James argued.

"So you honestly think that I'm leaving this fancy London town house to move in a damp old manor in the middle of nowhere so you can have your way and run amok with your friends?" Lily knew that she was not being reasonable but she did not care.

"We're not running amok," shouted James, getting angry. "We're fighting for a just cause and I don't see how you can even oppose this!"

"I'll tell you how I can oppose this," Lily hissed back, heat rising in her cheeks. "My husband is in an illegal organization and doesn't even tell me what they're up to. You could be doing who knows what!"

"So this is still about not telling you about the prophecy?" James asked in exasperation. "Huh, what about your little friend Snivellus? Did he tell you?"

Sev was another matter. At him Lily was furious for his strange decision to become Potions teacher. She did not know what he was up to but she was sure that he did not apply to the job because a sudden desire to teach had been evoked in him.

"Leave Sev out of this. He's got nothing to do with this, it's all about you _and stop calling him that horrible name_!" Lily shouted enraged. "Why don't you just join the Ministry? You don't need to be in an illegal organization to oppose the Death Eaters!"

"I surely won't become Malfoy's lackey," James snarled.

"Do you actually want to see evil everywhere?" Lily did not know if she could become any angrier. "I think it was brilliant of Bagnold to ally herself with Lucius. They may really solve this peacefully!"

"How can you believe that sly snake Lucius more than me?" screamed James. "I'm telling it's not possible to find a peaceful solution!"

"Listen, Lily," Sirius now spoke up. "I know that Lucius is a Death Eater. I've seen him."

Lily turned her attention to Sirius. "How could you see him? I thought the Death Eaters wore masks? And if that isn't so why isn't he convicted yet?"

"I saw his eyes, Lily," Sirius replied earnestly. "I know it was him. And he had just the same fanatic look in them that they all have. There really is no possibility to make them see reason."

Harry started to cry silently in Lily's arms. He had woken up and the angry tension in the room had upset him. Lily rocked him softly in her arms, her attention staying with Sirius, though.

"So you saw his eyes, yeah? Siri, they're just _eyes_. Lucius doesn't look that _extraordinaire_. It could have been anyone," Lily said nonchalantly.

"You're such a bitch sometimes, Lily, that I wonder why I've married you," James spat suddenly, his face red with fury. "If you could only hear yourself! So tell me, dear wife, why is it that you didn't marry that pure blood extremist Snivellus? He would not endanger himself to give his family a better future, so no need for you to worry." Lily was to shocked to answer but James had just begun. "You must really miss all your good friends from school that you're so fond of, dear Lucius-"

"Shut up you arsehole!" Lily screamed with tears in her eyes. "I don't know why I even put up with you! I hate you!"

And with that she bolted from the room clutching her sobbing son tight to her chest.

"You know, Prongs, you can be really insensitive sometimes," remarked Sirius breaking the silence that had settled over James' who was just standing there probably shocked about himself.

* * *

**REVIEW PLEASE!! Please tell me what you think! I rather liked this chapter... although I think I did not portray Lily's emotions too well.**

**I know there was awfully few Harry in it but next chap will have a time skip and you'll see some of older Harry! Also LV again in the next chapter.**

**Until then, Bizarre Dreamscapes**


	6. 06 life goes on

**A/N: Originally this chapter should contain more but when I was halfway through writing it I felt I was rushing things to much and revised the whole content, added more scenes. This chapter is written to show you the changes that took place and convey to you what peoples lives are like right now.**

**(1) _Leisure Alley _is as far as I know part of fanon. Please correct me if I am wrong and not allowed to use it. In that case I will change the name. It is not my intention to steel anything from another author. It's just that I've seen it in several stories already.**

**(2) Ages of characters such as Tonks' age are taken from HPlexikon.**

**Okay, enough of this. Enjoy the chapter!!**

* * *

**_N_ight _O_f _F_ate**

_06. life goes on_

5 years later, 31rst October

Many things had changed since that fateful day on which Minister Bagnold had decided to change her political agenda.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Chief Mugwump of the Wizengamot, for once had become nothing more and nothing less than Mr. Albus Dumbledore.

Lucius Malfoy who had been a mere citizen – even though an extremely wealthy one – was now Undersecretary Lucius Malfoy.

Professor Minerva McGonagall had been chosen to replace Albus Dumbledore and had earned a lot of respect in her position as headmistress McGonagall.

With Undersecretary Malfoy's backup and the additional voice of Barty Crouch Jr Ms Saida Zabini had been elected the first female Chief Mugwump of the Wizengamot in British history.

Barty Crouch Jr was not Jr anymore but Barty Crouch. His father, Barty Crouch Sr, had been killed in a duel by Bellatrix Lestrange four years ago.

This had been one of the last severe fights between the Ministry and the Death Eaters. By now those fights had ceased. The Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix had become smaller in number and less active. Indeed they were sighted less and less and commonly regarded as finished.

Bagnold's and Malfoy's policy which had in the beginning been regarded suspiciously had proven very successful.

Lucius Malfoy had even managed to get rid of his reputation of being a pure-blood supremacist. The legislation he had elaborated with Minister Bagnold held no elitist elements as many half-bloods and muggleborns had feared in the beginning.

The legislation however attached great importance to separating the wizarding world stronger from the muggle world. This point was seen as an importent improvement by the vast majority of the population since the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy had been riskily endangered by Death Eater raids during the 1970s.

Another large part of the legislation had been an educational reform. In order to be able to still compete to other internationally important schools Hogwarts now also offered the subjects _Wizarding Traditions & Protocol, Intercultural Politics_, _Muggle History_ and _Intercultural Science_.

_Wizarding Traditions & Protocol _was an obligatory subject for muggleborns as was _Muggle Studies _for pure-bloods to teach them the aspects of the other culture.

_Intercultural Politics _was a revolutionary subject that taught as well about muggle politics as about wizarding politics. It had attracted great international interest since it had been established and Frace had even undergone a similar educational reformation after that.

_Muggle History_ was taught in 4th year and up by turns with _History of Magic_ and dealt mainly with the time from the Industrial Revolution until present.

_Intercultural Science_ was a subject that was being taught at the Tokyo Academy for Enchantments and Curses since two decades already. Several large wizarding schools around the world had also included it in their curriculum since then. It dealt with muggle physics and chemistry as well as alchemy and magical theory.

Minerva McGonagall had, surprisingly for Lucius Malfoy, proven a great help in establishing these new subjects.

The government Bagnold / Malfoy had also managed to present Britain in an excellent light to the international wizarding community. Before that Britain had been suspiciously watched above all by France and the USA who both had feared a fascist overthrow.

Not everything that had changed was so widely noticed though.

Mrs. Lily Potter had complied to her husbands wishes and stayed at Potter Manor for two years before she moved out when her little son Harry had reached the age of three years. Against his wife's constant pleas James Potter had secretly remained in the meanwhile illegal group the Order of the Phoenix while he pretended to be a harmless Ministry employee.

His marriage had finally crumbled under his dangerous double life and although Lily did not divorce James she left him and moved in with her sister Petunia. All of James' tries to get her back had been unsuccessful so far. Although his daily letters which he had sent in the beginning of their separation had clearly proven his love for his wife she had refused to take him back unless he left the Order. But that James could not do in good conscience. He was absolutely convinced that Lucius Malfoy was in no way up to any good and he kept his eyes and ears open every day he went into the Ministry.

James best friend Sirius Black had stayed on rather good terms with Lily despite her break up with James and sometimes visited her. He, just like James, had not left the Order. Sirius had started to spent more and more time with his cousin Andromeda since the 31rst October 1981. After all she was the only family he had left. His mother and father were dead as well as his younger brother Regulus. He had never really liked his cousin Narcissa and his other cousin Bellatrix was a crazy psychopath and on the run somewhere. Or dead, too. One never knew. And with that Andromeda was really his last living family. She and her daughter Nymphadora.

And that was actually everything that was left of the Marauders. Remus Lupin who was not as stubborn as his two friends could be very content of the new government.

Lucius Malfoy had worked very hard to improve the legal situation of so called Dark Creatures. Due to that Remus, being a werewolf, was now able to take almost any job he wanted which was a striking improvement. He was unable to ignore the goods that Lucius Malfoy had done with that for his people – whatever Malfoy's other motives mote be. Therefore Remus Lupin had left the Order. He also visited Lily from time to time. He knew that Harry was not James' but Severus son and furthermore that Harry Potter was a magical creature just like his father.

From his own experience he knew that Harry – once his inheritance came through - would be better off with his biological father because James would be – just like his own parents had been when Remus had been turned into a werewolf – overstrained with raising a magical creature and not being one himself.

Peter Pettigrew was officially still part of the Order of the Phoenix but he rarely showed up to any meetings and had also privately distanced himself from his old friends. What the reason for this behaviour was no one knew.

Result of this was that Lily Potter now that her son Harry was six had been living with her sister Petunia for three years. Petunia was not close to Lily's husband or his friends and she viewed Lucius Malfoy with a fair share of benevolence. Petunia had not graduated Hogwarts like Lily and her friends. When she had been fourteen her parents had sent her to the College for Magical Education of New York City because she had started to go out with the muggle boy Vernon Dursley who lived close to the Evans'. Since any kind of romantic involvement with a muggle was absolutely out of the question in the eyes of their parents Petunia had been sent overseas so that nothing further could develop out of her acquaintance with Vernon.

Although Lily's and Petunia's parents had never supported Voldemort and had always stayed neutral they still believed in the old traditions and behaviour that was befitting one's rank.

Severus Snape, Harry's father, was still teaching Potions at the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Although he was rather infamous amongst the population of Hogwarts – students and teachers alike – he had found out that he against his expectations enjoyed teaching. Lily knew that he had joined the Order of the Phoenix after the 31rst October 1981 and he remained in it even though Dumbledore had been disempowered. Why that was he was of course unable to tell Lily just like he had been unable to tell her why he had joined the Death Eaters. Therefore Lily stayed as frustrated with him as ever.

Harry was another matter though. Much to Severus' delight Harry had taken an instinctive liking to his 'uncle Sev' as he called the man who was unbeknownst to him his father.

On the 31rst October 1986 Severus had been through a morning of Potion classes from first to seventh year students.

On the occasion of Halloween Nymphadora Tonks, Andromeda's daughter who was currently in her second year at Hogwarts, had attended class looking frighteningly similar to a Banshee. Severus had been torn between giving her points for creativity and giving her detention for not wearing her school uniform. In the end he had chosen detention since she had disrupted his class for half an hour because some of the other second years had not realized it was her and panicked.

Her detention would not be as unpleasant though as those he gave to students whose stupidity annoyed him. After all she had to train her metamorphmagic and truth was that Severus had almost broken a rip trying to uphold his stoic mimic when his class had started to try and protect their ears from Banshee screams.

His eyes never turned away from the cauldron in his Potions lab for too long ,not even as he read the letter lying on his desk. The air in the room had become steamy from the potion he was brewing. It was almost completed now and he would have to wait until it was done. The consequences of a mistake in this potion would be too severe to risk leaving the potion unattended for too long, especially in its final stage.

Not able to fully concentrate on reading his eyes returned to the letter.

_Severus_, read the letter in a cursive, nervous hand-writing

_thank you for everything that you have done for me. I know that you did not need to. I have to move to the continent for a while. You have no reason to fulfil my plead but I still ask you to keep this a secret from everyone. And I mean really everyone. I am keeping your secret as well, Severus. Or better: your secrets. There was I time I wouldn't have done so but I trust you to make the right decision. I will let you know when I have returned to Britain. Please give my love to Lily and Harry. I know you will see them tomorrow. Please take good care of them._

Severus folded the letter when he had read it and threw it in the fire place.

Deep in thought he returned to his cauldron. With a quick glance at the hourglass on his desk he counted down the seconds waiting for the right moment to stir the potion again.

In fact he did not need it any more now. But he would still complete it. Most of all the potion was very difficult to brew and therefore quite valuable. And should he not sell it he could still experiment on it later on. That was something he had always wanted to do since the potion had been invented by Damocles Belby.

After three anticlockwise stirs the potion took a light brown-green colour and fumed heavily. A clear indication that it was done.

Absently Severus filled it into two bottle banks, a small and a larger one, and labelled them. Then he charmed them to sort themselves into the racks.

He still pondered over the letter as he put his equipment away. He could not quite determine what those words meant. To the continent... _Why?,_ asked Severus himself. _And why now?_

Although he had actually no reason to do so he decided to keep quite about the letter and its content. It was just one more point on his list of secrets. Just one more point that would drive him away from Lily. Sometimes he wished he had done what Lily had asked him for and stayed neutral. But he knew it was not possible. He could have moved to the USA with Lily or to South America to escape from being forced to take a side. But he was sure that neither of them would have been happy so far away from England.

It was just nice to imagine that his life would not be so difficult.

Severus scoffed lowly, irritated with himself. It was not good to brood about what-ifs or to bask in self-pity. It only weakened and distracted, something that Severus despised.

After taking a last look at his potions lab for now he stepped to the fireplace in which the letter had since long burned to ashes.

He had taken the afternoon off something that headmistress McGonagall had full-heartedly encouraged since she was quite relieved that the brooding man was out of her way during the preparations for the Halloween feast – not that she would tell that anyone.

Severus used this afternoon to visit Lily and Harry just as the letter had suggested.

"Evans house, Northern Alley," Severus called out clearly as he stepped into the fire place.

Normally Lily and Harry stayed with him at Spinner's End because Lily did not want to be a burden to Petunia although her sister tried to ensure her that she was in no way a burden. Today things were different for Severus though. He had taken many of his possessions to Hogwarts with him and his house was very unfriendly during school time.

Severus elegantly stepped out of the fire place in Petunia Evans' parlour, the only one in the house that was connected to the floo network.

Petunia's house was one of the Evans' properties and for its location it was rather large. Northern Alley was an expansive, popular area to live due to its closeness to Leisure Alley and Diagon Alley. The Evans had owned this house long before Northern Alley had become so exclusive and when it had still been the most northern Alley in wizarding London.

"Sev," greeted Lily him, smiling. One of Petunia's house elves who knew of his visit had gone to fetch her as soon as he had arrived.

"Hello, Lily," he answered as Lily hugged him softly. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," said Lily. "I'm fine really. How are you?"

"Couldn't be better," muttered Severus. "Remus told me to give you his love."

"Oh, thanks," nodded Lily. "How is he? I haven't seen him for a while now. Maybe I should invite him again."

Severus shrugged. "I think he's good. We only had very brief contact."

"That's good to hear," said Lily absently, flattening her cream-coloured jersey dress.

"Will you be attending Narcissa's party this evening?," asked Severus as he and Lily left the parlour and climbed a small but elegant flight of stairs.

"I...," Lily hesitated. "Actually I did not want to go."

Severus sighed. Lily and Narcissa had been good friends before they attended Hogwarts and she had spent a lot of her childhood days with the three Black sisters. Lily had always liked cool and rational Narcissa better than the blonde's two emotional sisters. This friendship had been renewed in the past few years but Lily still did avoid making it publicly known.

Severus suspected that it was out of some odd commitment to James.

"Why not, Lily?" he asked seriously. "I'm sure Narcissa would be delighted if you came. Not to speak of your sister."

"That's right," sounded Petunia's voice who had apparently heard them talking and come to look for them. "Hello Severus."

"Petunia," Severus said politely. He did not like Petunia very much and he had always had the feeling that it was mutual. Severus had no idea if Lily had ever told her sister that he was Harry's father.

"Listen to Severus, Lily," said Petunia. "And I am sure that Harry would be most delighted to go there as well."

"I will be there, too," Severus added. "I promised Lucius to attend when the banquet in Hogwarts is over." Yes, he had promised that and, oh, how he regretted it. Severus hated those social gatherings and especially the pompous and drawn-out ones that Narcissa organized.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't have a costume," she said stubbornly. "It's a costume ball."

"It's Halloween, dear sister, of course it's a costume ball," chided Petunia. "And besides you're far too beautiful for a costume. We'll find something that you can wear. Come on."

"If it makes you happy," complied Lily but she did not sound uncomfortable at all as she let her sister drag her upstairs one more floor to their private chambers.

"Harry is in the library, Sev," Lily called.

Severus nodded. Now the ball would be easier to stand for Severus and he thought it might do Lily some good to attend it. It might help her to get over James.

Eager to see his son, Severus entered the library. Petunia's library was rather small but it included all standard works of magic, education and protocol.

Harry was currently listening patiently to one of his tutors who was giving a lecture on French grammar. When Severus entered the man stopped.

"Professor Snape," the tutor greeted him respectfully. After all a Hogwarts Professor was when not an infamous fraud the highest educational instance in Britain.

Severus nodded towards the man.

"You are dismissed for today," he said indifferently and the man left.

"Uncle Sev," greeted Harry, smiling as he stood.

"Hello Harry," said Severus softly. "How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you," Harry replied formally as he had been taught. "Have you seen mother already?"

"Yes," Severus smiled. He went over to a couch that was standing in the library. "Come, sit with me."

Harry walked from his chair to the couch and sat down next to Severus.

"It seems like you will after all attend Narcissa's Halloween ball with your mother and aunt," the older man told Harry.

The boy beamed. During his mother's meetings with Narcissa he had taken quite a liking towards Draco Malfoy.

"Will you be there, too?" questioned Harry.

Severus nodded. "Yes I will be there, too," he said.

Harry smiled again. But then he regarded Severus closely, his green eyes never leaving his father's face as if he wanted to comprehend something.

"Is there something that troubles you?" Severus wanted to know, noticing the look on Harry's face.

"Could you tell me something, Uncle Sev?" asked Harry politely.

Severus who was sitting on a couch next to Harry nodded in compliance and Harry's face lit up. Harry was a very curious child who was uncommonly understanding for his age.

"What would you like to know?" asked Severus who would soon run out of interesting things to tell.

"Father was here two days ago," Harry started slowly as if asking for permission. With the uncanny sensibility of a child he had since long ago known that Uncle Sev did not like his father too much.

"Really," said Severus.

Harry nodded. "Yes, and he said something I did not understand," explained Harry.

Severus groaned inwardly. Sometimes James seemed to forget that Harry was only six. What had he told the boy now?

"What did he say, Harry?" Severus asked softly to show that he did not mind the question.

"He was speaking to mother when he said that you were a – Death Eater – he called it. Then mother got really angry with him," Harry regarded Severus carefully. "And I do not understand what it means. I did not want to ask mother because it upset her so much."

Severus stared at his son. So James and Lily had argued _again_. Why did Lily not listen to him? Why did she put her self through this? Harry was still watching Severus with his huge green eyes which he had inherited from his mother. Harry was a very beautiful child. His hair was jet black, not one bit of Lily's red was visible. He had inherited most of Severus' features but they had Lily's feminine delicateness.

"I can ask Draco if you do not wish to answer, uncle Sev," said Harry when he got no response from Severus.

"There's no need," said Severus.

Draco would of course be able to explain it to Harry but Severus figured it would be better if he told his son. Lily had done a good job when educating Harry so far but she had with the support of her sister tried to avoid everything that she believed was not suiting knowledge for a child. Severus on the other hand thought it was important to know especially because Lily had educated Harry according to pure-blood traditions. His friendship with Draco Malfoy showed that this were the people he would grow up with.

Under those circumstances it would be impossible for Harry not to know about it. Considering what he was going to tell Harry now he was quite relieved that Lily was currently upstairs with Petunia.

"The Death Eaters, Harry," Severus explained lowly, "are an organization which fights for legalizing the Dark Arts and establishing the rule of pure-bloods."

Harry appeared to think this over for a moment. "And you are one of them?" he finally asked.

Hesitantly Severus nodded. "Yes," he said. "But that is forbidden by the state. Therefore no one knows."

"I won't tell anyone then, Uncle Sev," Harry promised seriously.

After a moment Severus added: "The Death Eaters believe that those of older magical lines, the pure-bloods, are worth more than others, especially than muggles."

"Aunt Petunia thinks that, too," Harry remarked thoughtfully.

Severus chuckle lowly. "Not really. Not in that way."

"Can you tell me what the difference is, uncle Sev?" asked Harry.

"Not today," replied the older man. "When you are older you will understand."

Harry did not seem very fond of hearing this but he did not complain.

"But that is not why I joined the Death Eaters, Harry," Severus told his son. He wanted to make that clear. He held no love for muggles but he did not believe in pure-blood supremacy like Lucius did either. "I want the legislation of the Dark Arts."

"Mother says that the Dark Arts cause only bad things," said Harry neutrally, looking at Severus' interestedly.

His father shook his head. "That is not true," he declared emotionally. "The Dark Arts are the most beautiful branch of magic existing and they are a part of me just like they are a part of you."

"Would you show me one day, uncle Sev?" asked Harry his eyes wide with fascination.

"Yes," said Severus. "One day I will show you." Reluctantly he rolled up his left sleeve. The six year old boy made even huger eyes as he stared at the skull and the snake that were burned in the skin of Severus' left forearm.

Maybe instinctively Harry stretched out his tiny hand as if to touch the Mark. Quickly Severus covered it again.

"Don't touch the Dark Mark, Harry," warned Severus seriously. "That will - You are not allowed to."

Hearing Lily's and Petunia's chatting from upstairs he urgently said: "You must not tell anyone of what I said to you today, Harry. Not even your mother or aunt."

"I won't," Harry swore.

"Shall we go and look for your mother?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded.

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	7. 07 about costumes and masks

**PLEASE NOTE! There have been several questions in the reviews so I felt it is necessary to point a few things out:**

**(1) HPLV is the main pairing of this story. Harry will be older then, most likely 16+. There are others though, too and will probably contain sex of two minors. **

**(2) Warnings: slash/yaoi/boyXboy whatever you call it, violence, torture, fascist concepts, that about sums it up for now.**

**And I wanted to say thanks for the many, many reviews you gave me! Please keep it up, it keeps me writing!^^**

**Now, enjoy the new chapter!**

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_**N**_**ight ****_O_f _F_ate**

_07. about costumes and masks_

31rst October 1986

Harry had been at Malfoy Manor before but never during a social gathering. Narcissa was famous for giving the most remarkable balls and although they often had an important political meaning it was mainly the glamour of high society that drew the interest of Britain's wizarding population.

For the attendées such gatherings were a chance to show off and to make new alliances, to get in the graces of those more powerful and to humiliate and disadvantage enemies. All of those actions were hidden beneath a smiling mask of politeness, tolerance and carefree party mood.

For Harry it was an astounding experience in his young life. He was no stranger to socializing since his aunt Petunia constantly had guests but this was new for him. Trying to keep up an appropriate appearance, like he had been taught, instead of gaping around with huge eyes and mouth hanging open, he took in all of the important people around him.

Petunia, Lily and Harry had arrived at one of the apparation areas that were opened for tonight's event. Harry, of course, had side-along apparated with his mother. Lily would have preferred to take the floo but her sister had an aversion against the floo and Harry loved to side-apparate so Lily had fought a lost war. It was pretty strange, the unpleasant sensation of apparation had done nothing to rid Harry of his eagerness to apparate.

In the apparation zone they were welcomed by house-elves which guided them through the huge area.

Lily, who had at first been unsure if it was a good idea to attend the ball, was now amazed. The Malfoys had cast or had have cast a warming spell over the gardens which made the outside area of the Manor accessible for the guests despite the cold air of October.

In fact they had arrived outside in the gardens and were now lead towards the huge manor. Lily took in all of the hovering lights that mysteriously illuminated the garden. In groups or pairs guests were walking between the hedges and flowerbeds.

While the garden was laying in a alluring twilight the inside of the house was brightly enlightened. Lily lifted the skirt of her heavy brocade dress slightly as they walked up the stairs. Petunia had talked her into wearing this dress earlier and now Lily felt more like a doll than anything else. But she had to admit that the deep red brocade made her look more than just a little solemn. In addition to the dress a similarly red mask of lace hid her face and mixed perfectly with her red hair.

Lily quickly realized that this being a costume ball made it rather difficult to recognize anyone. Although there were guest who were only slightly masked most had successfully concealed their identity.

As they followed the house-elf throughout the richly decorated manor Lily definitely spotted Rita Skeeter. The star reporter was wearing a scandalously low-cut magenta dress, her peroxide blond locks decorated with flashy magenta feathers. Rita Skeeter had in the past and would no doubt tonight use her flippant appearance to hide her sharp intelligence and uncover ( or make up ) the most shocking stories. Lily had no interest to cross this woman.

In the ballroom Lily immediately recognized Narcissa. She was standing on the opposite side of the room with a group of people. The only kind of mask she was wearing was a small band of fish-net and her platinum blond hair fell loosely down her back. She was quite a sight in her dark green dress, Lily thought. Without pausing the house-elf led them straight through the room towards Narcissa.

When they came closer Narcissa turned to them, opening her arms slightly. "Petunia," she exclaimed in greeting, smiling her thin, cool smile. "And you brought Lily and Harry, what a delightful surprise."

Immediately the group's attention turned to the three of them, scanning them thoroughly. Lily thought to recognize Melissa Greengrass amongst them but that was the only one. She was not very informed about the high society, having stayed away from them due to a feeling of a lingering connection to James.

"It's always a pleasure," replied Petunia gracefully. "My sister just could not miss it."

"Yes, I'm very glad to attend your ball, Narcissa," said Lily, smiling openly. And she was. Locking herself away in her sister's house had not been good for her. Maybe this would clear her mind and she could finally sort the issue with James and Sev.

Obviously for now satisfied with their demeanour, the group's attention returned to Narcissa who eyed them with satisfaction. Lily knew why that was, together with Petunia it had mostly been Narcissa who had tried to sway her to socialize more.

Petunia, who was far better versed in all the guests' identities than Lily, was immediately pulled into a chat by another woman.

Lily used this moment of not being paid attention to to look around again. She remembered having been to Malfoy Manor many years ago when she was still a young girl. The Blacks and the Malfoys had always had rather close contact and sometimes she, being a friend of Narcissa had been invited, too. Besides of the current decoration for the ball nothing much had changed. The ballroom was still clad in white marble, a rather unusual colour for such an old manor but the Malfoys seemed to have a liking for white. Lily could imagine very well that Narcissa had preferred the open atmosphere of Malfoy manor over the heavy darkness of her parents' home. Or maybe not. Narcissa had always been difficult to read.

Smiling she bent down to Harry. "And, Harry? Do you like it?" she asked her son.

Sometimes Lily could not belief her luck. Just like every mother she was absolutely convinced to have given birth to the most adorable son ever. Although to her Harry was a constant reminder of Severus and with that of all the problems that had driven them apart and of her betrayal of James she could completely forget all of this when she looked at Harry. He was the result and being so beautiful he could not possibly be a mistake. Never.

Lily could almost see Harry's eyes sparkle with curiosity. "It's just like aunt Petunia described it," he said, slightly in awe. "It's such a beautiful house..."

"Yes, that it is," said Lily. "When I was younger I used to come here sometimes..."

"Lily? Is that you?" a male voice asked, full of surprise.

Harry suddenly grinned and Lily turned around.

She almost gaped. "Sirius?" she asked. "What are you doing here – I mean, I really had not expected you to come."

Sirius grinned somewhat ruefully. "Hey, Harry," he waved around Lily and Harry piped: "Hello, uncle Siri."

"I'm here because I accompany Andy," Sirius explained in response to Lily's question/statement.

Now Lily became aware of Sirius' cousin Andromeda who was in the moment welcomed by her sister.

"So you just arrived?" Lily asked. She eyed his handsome features with fake disapproval. "And no mask, Mr. Black?"

Sirius snorted playfully. "That's Lily. I just meet you and you have something to complain about immediately. Of course I have a mask." With his left hand he lifted a porcelain mask which would have covered his whole face, had he been wearing it. "It's just too warm in here for it. I swear, Lils, I'll die if I wear it."

Lily laughed. "Stop being melodramatic, Siri. I'd like to see you wearing this corset." She pointed at the corset of her dress.

"It looks brutal," admitted Sirius. "But I can only compliment you on your dress. The last time you looked so stunning was on your wedding day..." He looked a little sad at that.

Lily really did not want to talk about the James-problem right now. So she scowled at Sirius. "What? Do you want to say that I don't always look stunning?"

Sirius quickly raised his hands in defence. "No, no, I never meant that," he jokingly tried to appease her. "I meant you look exceptionally stunning tonight." He paused. "But really, Lily, don't you think you should give James another chance..."

"Sirius," huffed Lily. "Please, I don't want to talk about it today, okay." She took a deep breath. "So you're here accompanying Andy? Why?"

Sirius hesitated, but complied to her wish. "Andy wanted to see her sister. You see, she knows Narcissa like no one else and she didn't feel well coming here with Ted and Dora. So she asked me to come since she did not want to go alone either... Andy and Ted practically lived in the muggle world for the last five years and she did not feel up to going alone. And when she asked me, I couldn't just say no. As much as I hate the rest of my family, I really love Andy."

Lily nodded. "How's Dora?"

Sirius smirked. "From all I hear she's giving her teachers quite some work... seems like she's got real marauder blood."

"You were a bad influence on her," Lily shook her head but her eyes shone with mirth.

Sirius face took an offended expression. "A very good one you mean!"

"Whatever, as long as you refrain from educating Harry..." Lily muttered, looking around for her son.

"Well, if he's not here I can hardly educate him," Sirius pointed out in his best know-it-all-voice.

Lily could indeed detect Harry nowhere. "Where did he go?" she asked worriedly.

"Probably somewhere more fun," answered Sirius unconcernedly. "He knows the little Malfoy, right? Then he won't loose his way."

"Yeah, but..." said Lily, not convinced.

"Ah, come on, Lily," Sirius tried to cheer her up. "You were a child, too. When did you stay with your parents when there were friends to meet, a manor to explore and a party to crash?"

Lily teasingly bopped Sirius in the side. "I did _not _crash parties when I was six."

"Little well-behaved Lily never crashed a party," mocked Sirius.

Lily opened her mouth to strike back but someone was faster.

"At least Lily knows how to refrain from humiliating herself, Black," Severus drawled.

"Well, at least _I _don't spent my whole life in a fumy potions lab, getting greasy hair and no women," Sirius retorted coolly.

Severus ignored him for once. "I'm glad you came, Lily," he said to her.

"Me, too," Lily smiled and her eyes instinctively flickered over to Sirius. She was ashamed of it but she really wanted him to go.

Somehow her eyes must have betrayed her. "Okay, I'll just be on my way then," said Sirius, slightly sour. "Don't bother, I'll go find Andy."

"No, Siri, you-" Lily said, feeling bad for chasing him away as soon as she got better company. But he did not hear her out, instead Sirius took his leave waving at her over his shoulder.

"Hush, it's all right, Lily," Sev softly grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him. "I'm really happy that you came, Lily. I don't know if I could stand this without you."

"What do you mean? I bet everyone here is striving to meet you, Sev. After all you're the famous Potions Master Snape! They're still raving about your book, I bet you're one of England's most sought-after bachelors," the red haired woman said.

Sev had indeed written a book with the title _The Impact Of Aconite On Veritaserum. _This book had revolutionised the use of veritaserum in law enforcement because the by Severus described use of aconite made it possible to limit the effect of veritaserum on certain topics. This book had gained international interest because many liberal states had before outlawed the use of veritaserum in questionings for there was the possibility that the openness of a suspect might be exploited.

Sev looked unhappy at Lily's statement. "You know I hate those social gatherings. Besides there is only one woman I would ever marry."

Lily tried to avoid his pointed stare. "I can't marry someone who keeps so many things from me."

Sev sighed. "You look truly beautiful tonight," he whispered to her.

She smiled. "You don't look bad either. No mask?"

He made a face that clearly indicated his disapproval for costume balls. "No."

Lily laughed lowly. "Will you ever change, Sev?" she asked frowning amusedly.

"Maybe you should not try to change people," he answered sternly.

"Do you think that's what I'm doing?" Lily asked, honestly surprised. She had never thought that she tried to change others. "Did you ever consider that I need to know you, really _know_ you, in order to fully accept who you are?"

"Maybe you would not like what you see," Sev said in a tight voice.

Lily gasped. For the first time this discussion had not ended with a simple refusal to tell her anything on Sev's part.

"How can you think that? You never gave me a chance to accept you! I don't know what you hide from me, Sev, but it can't be that terrible. Everything can be worked out, you know, I think I would like _anything _better than your damn secrecy! I don't know how little you think of me that you believe to know that I would push you away because of whatever it is," Lily insisted fiercely.

She stared at Sev waiting for an answer that might explain his actions. He hesitated and for a moment Lily thought he would finally reveal himself to her. But then he shook his head.

"This is not the time and place for this discussion," he said finally, his voice very controlled.

Lily let out the breath she did not know she had been holding. "Then when is, Sev? I'm tired of this."

"Why don't we take a look around?" was the only answer she got in the same unnaturally controlled voice.

Lily could not believe it. So he wanted to partake in all the socializing he said he hated so much in order to avoid this discussion? He had said he was glad she came so he could stand this evening and now he was trying to shut her up? For the first time Lily wondered. Maybe he was right? Maybe she really did not want to know?

"That sounds splendid," she agreed formally and took Sev's arm.

-

In the meantime Harry had quickly found Draco. Although the Manor was crowded with people, Harry had been here with Draco before and he knew where to look for his friend. Harry was always happy to see Draco but tonight he was especially eager to do so because he had to ask him a question.

Indeed it almost seemed like Draco had been waiting for him, knowing that he would come and look for him.

Harry found his friend on one of the balconies, which were located on the side opposite to the entrance Lily, Petunia and Harry had used. In the summer they had often sat on that balcony (when they were not allowed to play Quidditch because their latest injuries were not yet healed) since one could look over the whole garden on that side of the Manor.

"Harry," Draco beamed when he saw Harry approaching. "It's so good you came or I'd have had to stay with the others tonight."

Harry grinned. "Is Pansy here?"

Draco groaned and nodded with a rather horrified face.

Pansy Parkinson was unwaveringly convinced of the fact that she and Draco were promised to each other and that they were going to marry someday (the sooner the better). While to her it was the most romantic thing she could imagine, to Draco and Harry it was about the most horrible thing they could imagine. In their eyes (as in the eyes of every other six year old) girls were stupid and Pansy was an outstandingly stupid exemplar.

"What are they doing?" asked Harry.

"They're playing goblin stone and Pansy's bossing everyone around," said Draco and rolled his eyes.

Harry chuckled, they both disliked Pansy. The 'others' were mostly children of the Malfoys' closer friends, like Theo Nott, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Vince Crabbe and Greg Goyle.

In comparison to them Harry and Draco where a lot more mature, Draco, because he was supposed to be very well educated, his family being in the public spotlight, and Harry, because he did not have many friends his age and spent more time with adults than other children.

Only Blaise Zabini, Saida Zabini's son was an exclusion. But then again he was rather spoilt, even compared to Draco. Harry had heard his aunt say, that Saida spoilt him because she was trying to make up to her son for her constantly dying husbands (which had admittedly ceased in number since she became chief mugwump).

"_No, you're playing it wrong, Theo,_" Draco mimicked Pansy's voice. "_I can't win if you do this._"

They both sniggered, knowing Pansy's behaviour well.

Harry was happy to be with Draco, as much as he loved his mum and aunt it was boring for him to be with no one but them all day.

"There's something I need to ask you, Drake," began Harry. His tutors had told him that it was rude to come to the point immediately but he couldn't keep this to him self and after all he and Draco were friends.

"Sure, what is it?" asked Draco curiously. He knew that Harry heard every kind of interesting things from Sev.

Harry looked around, suddenly nervous. Uncle Sev had forbidden him to tell anyone... There were too many people close to them who might overhear them talking.

"Can we go somewhere else? No one else must know," said Harry lowly.

He could see Draco's eyes glitter at his words. "Oh, a secret," he grinned. "Let's go to my room, no one will hear us talking there."

Draco and Harry walked through the huge Manor, away from the party. Draco's room was by far larger than Harry's but then again Malfoy Manor was by far larger than the Evan's House in London.

Much to Harry's envy the room was decorated in green and silver and even better it was decorated like an adult's room. It looked so _grown up_. His own room was clearly that of a child, still having the same silly tapestry Petunia had bought when he was a toddler.

Draco on the other hand loved Harry's room, he did not like the cold stiffness of his own.

When together Harry and Draco had often envisioned being in Hogwarts, actually their second favourite thing to do after playing Quidditch of course. Draco was sure he would be in Slytherin and it had not taken Harry long to want to be there, too. For once the required attributes seemed appealing to him and secondly his best friend would be in Slytherin, so he would clearly be in the same house. That was out of doubt.

He had not really talked about his wish to be a Slytherin in Hogwarts to anyone besides Draco and Uncle Sev, since his mother and his aunt did not seem to care much about the houses. But he knew that his mother had been in Gryffindor and his aunt in Ravenclaw before she had been sent to New York. His father was another matter though. He clearly wanted him to be in Gryffindor, Harry knew that, because all of his father's presents were surprisingly red and gold.

"So," said Draco impatiently, eager to hear the news and dragged Harry over to the large bed. "What do you want to ask me?"

Harry nervously licked his lips. "Do you know about the Dark Mark, Drake?" he asked, almost whispering although Draco had said no one would be able to overhear them.

Harry saw Draco's cheeks momentarily flush with excitement. Yet he hesitated. "How would you know about it?" he asked carefully. He paused. "Did Uncle Sev tell you?"

Harry nodded nervously. Draco grinned. "Finally, I was hoping for it, father forbid me to talk about it to anyone."

"Uncle Sev, too, but since we both already know...," started Harry.

Draco nodded. "Right, we already know, so we're not doing any harm. So what do you want to know?"

Harry lowered his voice even more and Draco leaned in close to him. "What happens when you touch the Dark Mark?" he asked.

Draco made huge eyes. "You tried to touch it?"

Harry nodded. "But uncle Sev told me not to. Do you know what happens?"

Draco gave a careful nod. Then, almost awed he said, "Father told me that it summons the Dark Lord."

Harry gasped excitedly and subconsciously leaned closer to Draco, marvelling at those words. It all sounded so exciting and mysterious yet dangerous. Like playing with fire.

They both jumped, startled by a sudden noise. One of the Malfoy's house-elves had apparated in Draco's room.

"Dobby! What is it?" Draco snapped rather irritated, feeling like he had been interrupted during a wonderful game.

"Master requests young Master Draco's presence," stated Dobby, the elf, timidly.

Draco's good mood returned instantly. "Come on, Harry, let's see what father wants. He always introduces me to some important people, maybe it's interesting."

Harry complied, having gained the knowledge he wanted, although he would have liked to hear more about that Dark Lord who would be summoned. Little did he know that going to see Draco's father would be even more interesting than Draco could have imagined.

-

"You do realize that I don't have much time," Narcissa remarked rather coldly. Giving in to her sister's request she had left the party with Andy and they had gone to one of their private libraries.

"I'll make it brief, then," said Andy, sounding a bit wary. She sighed. "Cissy, I came here to ask you... have you heard something of Bella lately?"

Something inside Narcissa hardened. Bella and Andy had been inseparable, like twins, when they were younger. "No, why should I? Our sister is a searched criminal in case you have forgotten," she answered in a flat voice, bare of emotions.

"Please, Cissy," insisted Andy, her voice taking a much more emotional tone now. "Do you think any of this fools me? I'm your sister, I know you'd never turn away from our parents ideals. _Toujours pur_, ma chère soeur[French my dear sister]. I know it anyway, you never turned away from You Know Who. So please, tell me..."

Narcissa took a heavy breath. "You think this is all that matters? Ideals? Ideas? Politics? You understand nothing, Andy. You think you can waltz in here and ask me about our sister? Just like that? After everything that has happened? Why do you even care for Bella, Andy?"

Andy seemed to falter a bit. "Cissy, I still care for her, for both of you, no matter what you have done... Just tell me she's all right."

Narcissa had to laugh. "I can't tell you because I don't know. And what do you mean with no matter what I have done? _What exactly is that supposed to mean?" _she hissed.

At that point Andy seemed to regain her Gryffindor courage. "I'll tell what that's supposed to mean. I know you still follow You Know Who – and how could you, Cissy? How could you do that after what happened to Neville Longbottom, you have a son yourself! I know it because why would you still be averted against me being married to Ted if it weren't for you believing in pureblood supremacy!"

Narcissa felt herself flush in anger. How dare she-! "Listen, and listen very well, Andy," she spat. "It doesn't matter what or who your husband is, what matters is that you chose him over your _family_! You ran away from us – you ran away from me for some spouse. You left _me, _your own sister. I have every right to hate Tonks for taking you from me, and you for letting him!" Narcissa stopped talking when she noticed she was sounding hysterical , something that was very unlike her and no one but her family could provoke.

Andy seemed a bit shocked at first but then her face went cold. "Put on a show all you want, Cissy. I know where your loyalty lies. The worlds eyes are settled upon Rome tomorrow. And then we'll see what happens."

This last statement shocked Narcissa so much that she dropped all masks. "How do you know that?" she whispered.

Andy smirked. "I'm still a Black, sister, no matter how badly you want to deny it."

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**Dear readers, there should have been more in this chapter and I'm sorry to disappoint you. But this already took me so long to write since I changed it about three times because I wanted it to be good and I decided to update now. I hope your satisfied so far...**

**REVIEW PLEASE if you want to read about HARRY & TOM next chapter and want to find out what happens in ROME. I need constructive criticism and support.**

**Bizarre Dreamscapes**


	8. 08 harry gets a present

**(1)The Impact Of Aconite On Veritaserum is the book Severus wrote. I mentioned it last chapter.**

**(2) OC's:**

**Aidan Pole – an American Healer, not too important though, only mentioned on a side note**

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_**N**_**ight****_ O_f _F_ate**

_08. harry gets a present_

31rst October 1986

Harry and Draco wasted no time, they followed Dobby to see Draco's father, Mr. Malfoy. Lucius knew from experience that it was safer to let the house-elf accompany his son on such occasions. Although Draco usually aimed to do as his father said, a party with so many guests easily provided distractions which kept a six-year-old from reaching their destination.

Harry knew that Draco's father was very different than his own. While Harry felt strongly for James they weren't very close. They did not see each other that much. That had lead to a certain imagination on Harry's part. James had become a mixture of things he was and Harry desired him to be in his mind. But most of all Harry wished to have a 'real' family again, like Draco had. Harry had retained vague memories (or what he deemed to be memories) from the time before Lily had left James, although he had only been three years old then. He wished for his parents to be together again, to live together as a family. The political and social differences his parents had did not strike him as important neither did he pay them much heed or really understand them.

In his mind it was fairly simple. Who else could be with his mother but his father? Who else could be with his father but his mother? They were his parents, so they should be together. End of story.

The thought that Severus could be more to his mother than a best friend like Draco was to him did not cross his innocent mind.

But Harry also knew that Mr. Malfoy had not much time for Draco either. Due to being the Minister's Undersecretary he spent most of his time working and when he was not working he was often busy with social things. Society expected a lot from Mr. Malfoy so he was often invited to dinner parties, sport events, benefice galas, etc., etc..

Harry knew that although Draco was not happy about the fact that his father had so few time for him, he was proud of the man's achievements and he never complained in public and only rarely to Harry.

Mr. Malfoy was surrounded by a lot of people who all seemed to be most interested in what he had to say. Even though Lucius was "only" Undersecretary in Bagnold's government, he was treated with the same amount of respect and interest as the Minister herself due to his good connections and numerous supporters and friends.

The people around Lucius immediately parted for Draco, knowing whose son he was. Harry glanced up at their masked faces, knowing no one besides Lucius and of course Draco. While he was somewhat uncomfortable among so many people, Draco was perfectly confident, being used to this.

"Ah, Draco," Mr. Malfoy greeted his son upon noticing him.

Harry could only think that Draco's father was a gorgeous man. He looked stunning with his platinum blonde hair, a silver, thin mask, in which floral designs were carved, adorning his features. Even among the richest and most important people of Britain's society he was an imposing figure, radiating confidence and charisma.

And yes, Harry did not even realize how true his evaluation was. Mr. Malfoy had indeed done his best to get rid of his arrogant, condescending attitude and had succeeded extraordinarily, like a true Malfoy. He was still cool and serene but most saw him as a hard working, unerring man, not as the youth with too much money and pride he had been many years ago.

"And I see you have brought Harry," Lucius continued, giving them a short, cool but still benevolent smile.

"I'm honoured to be here, Mr. Malfoy," replied Harry politely, not only because he had been taught so, but because he indeed held a fare share of admiration for Draco's father.

Lucius awarded him with an approving look before he focused his attention on his only son.

"Draco, I want to introduce you to Thomas Riddle," he stated, gesturing to the man standing next to him, then he repeated formally what was already obvious. "Mr. Riddle, this is my son Draco."

Now Harry turned his attention on said man. Thomas Riddle had to be slightly younger than Mr. Malfoy. He, like Sirius, had no mask on which left Harry free to take in his thin, angular face, pale features and deep blue eyes, surrounded by heavy, inky lashes. In contrast to Lucius' golden mane, his hair was jet black and flowed silkily down to the middle of his back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Riddle," said Draco confidently.

In turn Mr. Riddle inclined his head, smiling. The smile made Harry shiver for some unknown reason. It was neither a good nor a bad shiver, more a shiver of insecurity. Even standing next to Lucius, Thomas Riddle's beauty set Harry off.

"He is a very amiable boy, Undersecretary," complimented Riddle Lucius. His voice sounded light-hearted and relaxed, causing Harry to snap out of his haze.

Mr. Malfoy noticeably beamed while Draco blushed slightly. This amused both Harry and Thomas Riddle, though the latter did a far better job at hiding it. While only Riddle's eyes showed amusement, Harry actually snickered chokingly which caused Draco to inconspicuously step on his foot.

Maybe it was the noise he had made or maybe Mr. Malfoy had planned on it, however, now the blond man pointed at Harry. "This is Harry Potter, Lily Potter's son. He and Draco always seem to be together..."

Mr. Riddle eyed him interestedly and Harry felt strangely seen through by those intense blue orbs.

"Ah, yes, Harry Potter," said the man thoughtfully. "Severus likes to talk about him..."

In a moment of silence on Mr. Malfoy's part onlookers immediately used the chance to address the Undersecretary. ("Indeed, Mr. Malfoy, your son is a very fine boy, but that was to be expected, regarding his parents... I'm truly happy to meet him... but tell me, sir, have you considered my request...?")

"You know my Uncle Sev, sir?" asked Harry Mr. Riddle curiously. This surprised him somewhat. Although Severus had come to fame due to his extraordinaire work as a potions master he had not many acquaintances outside of Hogwarts. Lucius was Uncle Sev's best friend but apart of the Malfoy's and Lily the potions teacher did not keep much company.

Something about this statement seemed to amuse Riddle but his answer was serious. "Yes, your 'Uncle Sev' and I are friends, you could say. Hence my connection to Undersecretary Malfoy."

Harry thought about that. What had Uncle Sev told him about the Death Eaters? They were a secret group... he knew for sure that Draco's father belonged to them as well. So if Mr. Riddle knew both Lucius and Uncle Sev then maybe he was part of this group, too?

Instinctively Harry's eyes flickered to Riddle's left forearm but of course there was nothing to see through the dark blue dress robe.

"I understand, sir," he replied.

Now Riddle smiled again. "You're a very bright boy, Harry Potter."

"Thank you, Mr. Riddle," he replied earnestly, returning the man's smile shyly.

"That's a very beautiful mask you have there, sir," he then remarked. He had caught sight of it when he had looked at Riddle's arm, the man was holding it in his left hand, probably because it was warm, like Sirius had said earlier.

Riddle held the mask up, it was covered with dark blue shiny feathers, the same shade that his robes had, besides that it was rather simple. Yet it had something that caught the eye. "Yes, isn't it?" agreed Thomas Riddle, as if he'd just noticed.

"I'm sure it would look formidable on you, sir," said Harry, wrapping his daring statement in formal words.

Mr. Riddle chuckled. "I don't think so. In fact it would look rather boring with my blue eyes, I fear." He held the mask out to Harry. "Take it if you want, it will sweet you much better than me when you're older."

"Sir, you really don't have to...," Harry tried to refuse politely and a bit startled, sure the mask was most beautiful but did not understand why Riddle should want to present it to him.

"I know, Harry," answered the man, now smirking. "But I want to. Take it."

Now Harry could not refuse any more and with more than just a little excitement he grabbed the mask. This ball was even more adventurous than he had assumed before.

"Thank you, sir, I will take good care of it," Harry promised, still abashed.

"You really do look a lot like your father," declared Riddle after a brief moment of silence.

"Do you think so, Mr. Riddle? Most people say I look more like my mother," replied Harry, surprised.

"Understandable," said Riddle, frowning slightly and leaving Harry completely perplexed. Did that not contradict what he had just said... How could Harry look like his father and yet it was understandable that almost everyone thought he rather resembled his mother?

"We should catch up with Undersecretary Malfoy," announced Riddle, before Harry could voice his confusion, "before he gets completely snatched away by his admirers. Your friend Draco will probably be with his father."

And curiously, while Harry and Thomas Riddle had stayed in place, Lucius Malfoy had been passed on in the crowd, talking to important people, listening to their demands and answering their questions.

Somehow Riddle managed to find a path through the crowd that surrounded the Undersecretary and to return to his side, Harry following closely behind them.

Draco was still with his father, as predicted, and he smiled relievedly when he saw Harry. "There you are, you were suddenly gone, Harry," he said with a small pout.

Harry snickered. "No, you moved away, Dray, didn't you notice?"

Draco frowned, signalizing that he obviously had not noticed, but ignored the question with a haughty expression on his face. "What do you have there, Harry?" he asked, seeing the mask in Harry's hands.

"It's-" started Harry but during their conversation he had not noticed (and neither had Draco) that his mother and Uncle Sev had approached Mr. Malfoy.

Only when they heard Draco's father greet Lily they looked up to the adults.

"Sev, I see you made it, I was actually wondering if you would attend," was Lucius Malfoy now saying, while smiling at Sev.

"Don't I always when you ask me?" answered Uncle Sev. Harry noticed that he seemed somewhat unhappy and his mother's posture was stiff, although she was smiling pleasantly.

"Lily, this is Thomas Riddle," introduced Mr. Malfoy his mother to the man standing next to him, who, as Harry figured, intended to speak to Sev.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Ms. Evans," said Riddle casually, holding out his hand.

Harry saw his mother laugh nervously. "Likewise, though I'm still Mrs. Potter, I have not divorced James... not yet anyway," Lily replied friendly.

Riddle's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Excuse me then, Mrs. Potter, I was not aware of that," he apologized lightly.

"Oh, it's not your fault," Lily dismissed it, before turning to the boys while Riddle leaned over to Uncle Sev. "Hello, Draco, I haven't seen you yet today ... did you and Harry spent all them time together? Have you seen Sirius, Harry? I don't know where he went, maybe he and Andromeda have already left again."

"Good evening, Mrs. Potter," answered Draco dutifully. "Yes, I was with Harry all the time, but I don't think hew saw Sirius, we were in my room most of the time."

In the meantime Harry only stood there shell-shocked. What did she mean by not divorced... _yet_? He had been one hundred percent sure that his parents would get together again.

But instead of voicing this thought immediately Harry kept quite about it. He remembered the composed behaviour of Mr. Malfoy, all the secrets Uncle Sev was keeping, the grown up attitude Draco could show and even the strangely alluring presence of Thomas Riddle. He was not a child either (or so he thought with all the self confidence of a six-year-old) and he would not act like one.

"No, we did not see Sirius, mother," he said coldly. "As Draco said we stayed in his room all the time until recently."

Lily nodded, a bit surprised by her son's primary silence and following cold tones.

"Lily, have you met Saida Zabini, yet?" asked Mr. Malfoy his mother. When she shook her head, he continued, "Then let me introduce you to her, I think you will like her, she's a very headstrong woman."

"Let's go back to your room, shall we, Draco?" suggested Harry in the same cold voice he had used before. Mr. Malfoy was leading Lily away and Thomas Riddle had engaged conversation with Uncle Sev.

Draco immediately felt that something had upset his friend. "Of course, I can order Dobby to bring us some of the food," he agreed.

-

While Lily had turned to talk to Harry and Draco, 'Thomas Riddle' had addressed Severus. "Severus, I was looking for you all evening. I have just finished _The Impact Of Aconite On Veritaserum _and I must say it is most impressive. I just have to ask you a few questions about your approach... why don't we take a little walk?"

"Sure, Thomas," said Severus, trying to keep a straight face. He found it very odd to call the Dark Lord 'Thomas' but their act required it. Slowly they sauntered in the direction of the doors. "So you already read the whole book? What do you want to know?"

"Well, you said that you used the aconite according to Golpalott's third law but as far as I am aware veritaserum is not a poison, nor does it have any poisonous ingredients... so why the third law?" the Dark Lord asked interestedly as if this was really the only thing he wanted to talk about.

"Veritaserum is a very complicated potion," explained Severus calmly. "It stimulates the mind, as you know, which does indeed not qualify it as poison. But if it is used over a too long space of time or in a too large amount it can affect the mind permanently, resulting in a state in which the drinker always tells the truth. It was believed for a long time that this is due to the fact that residua of veritaserum stay in the human blood circulation."

"Yes, I have heard about that. But I assume that is not the cause?" asked the Dark Lord his eyes shifting to the people around them from time to time.

"That is correct. Actually Veritaserum can cause a severe brain illness, an irreversible malfunction if you will. This qualifies the potion as a very light toxin... the aconite works as an even lighter antitoxin that limits the effect of veritaserum," elaborated Severus while they walked further away from the party. "Aidan Pole, an American, is working on several essays about the damaging effect of pure veritaserum. He kindly shared his knowledge with me and in turn I did not include it in my book."

"Seems like a fair trade," commented the Dark Lord, looking around if anyone was still near them.

"Yes, it was," Severus agreed. "I believe we are alone, my Lord," he added, making use of his sharp senses, before he dropped to his knees.

It did not cease to amuse Severus what Narcissa's true reason behind holding this ball was. To the public it seemed like nothing more but the celebration of an important wizarding holiday, Halloween, or All Hollows' Eve. But actually the ball was a celebration of the fulfilling of the prophecy. Just like the Order of the Phoenix the Death Eaters had interpreted that the prophecy meant that no one besides Neville Longbottom could defeat their Lord and Neville Longbottom had died on Halloween, 5 years ago. Many of them felt as though victory was now preassigned.

Even through the glamour he was wearing the Dark Lord's aura was unmistakable. Severus could feel the other man's magic crawl over his skin like smooth, velvet, but icy water.

"You know what takes place tomorrow, Severus," whispered the Dark Lord, nothing of the youthful charm he'd spoken with before left in his voice. Rather it was back to the dangerous silkiness Severus was more accustomed to.

He nodded his head. "Yes, my Lord," he replied.

Tomorrow was the event they had been waiting for. The conference in Rome would decide whether or not there would be a united dark Europe in the future. If the European countries would stand together they would be a force to be reckoned with and the other powerful nations like the USA, Arabia or China would be easier influenced than by Britain alone.

Severus had longed to be there but unfortunately he could not leave his position in Hogwarts without arising suspicion. And neither could Lucius, much to the blond man's dismay.

"Do you have any news about Dumbledore?" asked the Dark Lord.

"I believe he is still on the continent, my Lord," answered Severus. He had of course stayed in contact to the Order, maintaining his double agent position. "His brother Aberforth seems to think..."

He waited a moment, not sure whether the Dark Lord wanted to hear the opinion of Dumbledore's weird, goat-obsessed brother.

"What?" Severus was urged to speak.

"His brother seems to think, that it is Dumbledore's intention to go to Nurmengard," he finished.

The other's face stayed impassive but Severus could feel the magic shift and twist around him, clearly getting colder. "Interesting," stated the Dark Lord. "It is said that Grindelwald shows remorse..."

His disdainful tone made his low opinion of both Grindelwald and showing remorse crystal clear.

"Alert my immediately should there be any new developments..."

"Of course, my Lord," Severus answered.

He deeply envied those who were to accompany the Dark Lord. The three Lestranges, due to their skill in duelling and unfaltering loyalty, Barty Crouch, as a member of the British government, Narcissa, in stead of Lucius and Augustus Rookwood, an insider in the Department of Mysteries. Igor Karkaroff would be there as well but as a representative of Russia.

"And Severus...," interrupted the Dark Lord his train of thoughts. "You will accompany me to Rome as well."

Severus gasped. "I... thank you, my Lord," he said, bowing even deeper. The advantage with Dumbledore was that the man did not demand a constant show of submission. Sadly, for Severus it was about the only advantage. "But what about Hogwarts, how do I explain my absence...?"

"You are to present your book on a congress. It has high political importance and represents Britain's educational system. Lucius settled everything," explained his master. "We will leave right after the ball, be prepared. Barty and Bella are already in Rome."

There was a pause which Severus used to nod.

"And, Severus?"

He looked up at the other's fake blue eyes staring down at him. "Yes, my Lord?"

"Your son is really a lot like you, I can see why you are so enamoured with him," the Dark Lord said, smiling a thin lipped smile. "Make sure that he grows up to be on our side."

"I will, my Lord," vowed Severus, dizzy from the seductive allure the dark magic had taken around him.

Those last words said, the Dark Lord swept out of the room. Once he was alone Severus took a deep breath and shifted from his kneeling position into a sitting one. He was going to Rome.

-

When Draco and Harry were finally going through the desserts after enjoying different small portions of the main dish that was served this evening Draco felt he had given his best friend enough time to contemplate whatever had happened earlier to cause his unusual behaviour.

"So, Harry, where did you get this mask?" he asked, starting off casually. Said item was lying on Draco's bed, shimmering beautifully in the candle light.

Harry glanced at it, smiling upon the sight. "Mr. Riddle gave it to me, it is – was – his," the green eyed boy told Draco. "I have no idea why, though."

Draco frowned. He knew that Riddle was very close to his father, closer than they had showed tonight. Would it have been any other child, Draco, who was used to being priority, would certainly have felt jealous. But not so with Harry. Or at least Draco told himself that. They were best friends and Harry would not be jealous either if their places were swept. But he could not get rid of a little pang of envy.

"What did you talk about with him?" Draco asked curiously, envy or not, he was as excited as Harry probably had been.

"Nothing much," admitted Harry. "He told me that he's friends with Uncle Sev and I said that his mask was very nice – he had not put it on – and asked him to wear it. Then he said it did not sweet him and gave it to me."

"But Harry, that's really great!" said Draco, now positively amazed. "He will now likely remember you once you're older, I think he's … in on father's and Sev's secret."

Harry understood perfectly what Draco meant yet his earlier excitement did not show again. Sure he was taking all of Draco's not so subtle hints and his face was slightly flushed but somehow he seemed cooler.

"In the end he said that I look a lot like my father," Harry added slowly.

Now it was Draco's turn to twitch uncomfortably. He had once overheard a conversation between his parents. He had almost not believed his ears when they had stated that not James Potter but Sev was Harry's father. Draco had yelped joyfully (not on purpose though) and his parents had immediately discovered his presence.

Draco had been most delighted that his godfather was Harry's actual father but his parents had much to Draco's disappointment forbidden him to speak about it to anyone. He had not understood this restriction because the news made him nothing but happy and he was sure Harry would be pleased as well.

Was it possible that Thomas Riddle knew about Harry's parentage?

"What is bothering you, Harry?" Draco asked tentatively. If Harry wanted to he would tell Draco.

"My mother said to Mr. Riddle that she had not divorced father... _yet_. I thought they would get together again, they are still married and I don't want them to divorce," declared Harry unhappily.

Maybe Draco's valuation had been a tad wrong. Harry was obviously stronger attached to James than he had thought.

"Maybe it's for the best if they divorce, Harry," he said wisely. "I mean what do you and J- your father actually have in common? What do you like about him? How much have you missed him in the last years?"

Harry opened his mouth but said nothing and seemed to consider this. He frowned. "He's still my father, Draco," he said finally.

And that was the first moment of real responsibility in Draco's life other than being polite to important people. Should he ignore his parents' forbiddance and tell Harry the truth? Or should he keep silent? What was better? Especially: What was better for Harry and what was better for Sev?

* * *

**Wow here we go, another chapter!!**

**Now guys, it's YOUR OPINION IS ASKED!!!**

**Should Draco tell Harry or not that Sev is Harry's father??? REVIEW and tell me what you think, I'm very curious!!**

**On another note: Next chapter will deal with Rome. I will explain why Rome of all city's. (I've actually put thought into it!! *author pets her own head*) What do you think whose POV should I use to tell the chapter? Voldemort or one of the Death Eaters (Sev, Bella, Barty, Rodolphus, Rabastan, Narcissa or Rookwood) or should I tell it from the POV of a representative of another country? Switching POVs?**

**Do you guys want a scene from Dumbledore's POV to see what he's up to?**

**PLEASE REVIEW!! Remarks, criticism, praise, questions, all welcome!!**


	9. AN! no chapter, but author talking sry

**I know you hate those announcements because I do, too. But sometimes they are unfortunately necessary ... to keep you update. So please bear in mind, I'm not trying to be mean here I want to benefit_ you_.**

**So, I have posted some similar announcement on my profile but as I don't know how many of you actually go there to read it I decided to put up this A/N.**

**The future of this story:**

**Night Of Fate is NOT abandoned, it is just undergoing a little hiatus, unwillingly I might add. I did not plan to leave it alone for so long and now after almost half a year (!)... shame on me ... I think I have not grasped the story's full potential. I am actually not pleased with the style anymore so I'm going to rewrite most of it...**

**The rough plotline is NOT going to change. I will post all of the already existing, then rewritten chapters, as soon as I'm done and also marking the point when truely new chapters are on again.**

**So you don't have to reread what you have already read just to check if my style developed to the better... although you might want to get a reminder after the long hiatus. If you actually remeber some of it...^^ I'd welcome it if you told me whether you think I really did improve...**

**Thank you for your patience!**


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